The Way I Do: A Heisuke Toudou Love Story
by HiddenXEmotion
Summary: The Okami Pack returns with Ryoko's story! With a past that haunts the youngest member nearly everyday, Ryoko has a problem with trusting and letting her feelings guide her through life. Not wanting to ever go through those horrid events again, she refuses to trust anyone but her sisters, but when an ordeal comes forward she finds that Heisuke has pushed through her defenses.
1. Chapter 1

_**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/GAME!**_

 _ **Thanks to certain events, I've found myself drawn back into the world of Hakuouki and so I finally decided to finish Heisuke's story. Sorry for all the delays, guys!**_

 _ **Chapter One**_

 _ **The Okami Pack**_

" **Stop it, Katsumi!** Stop it! I…can't…breath!"

"Beg me."

"I am begging!"

"Say it!"

"Say what?"

"You know what!"

"All right, all right! Katsumi, you are greater than I. There is no way that I can ever defeat you and I don't know why I continue to try."

"Good," Katsumi removed herself from the younger woman and went to make her way to the food on the table but was jumped on again. "Gah!"

"Come on, Ryoko," A third voice called from the table. "You know you'll never win."

"Shut up, Yumi! I'll never give up! Eve-ahh!" Ryoko grunted as she was pinned beneath the other woman again. "Dammit! Come on, Katsumi, let me win! Just once! Please?"

"Nope, not in your dreams. If I did that I would never hear the end of it; from you guys or my brothers!"

Grumbling under her breath, Ryoko Ito sighed and sat up as her friend moved away. Ryoko was a 5'6', 17-year-old woman with long black hair that she had pulled back into a braid and bright blue eyes. Her skin was a pale white, but healthy, as she was dressed in clothes from the West; black pants and boots and a dark red, silk top.

The woman that she had been rolling around with on the floor was Katsumi Yamaguchi. Katsumi was 24 and 5'7' with brown hair to her shoulders and matching eyes. Her skin was a light tan as she was dressed in clothes from the West as well in the colors of black and white.

In fact, all of them, the others sitting around the table and eating, wore clothes from the west.

Yumi Sato was at 5'7' and about 25 years old with short blonde hair and grey eyes. Her western outfit was gray pants and a dark blue top.

Tsukiko Hayashi was the same age as Yumi and reached the height of 5'9' with long red hair and brown eyes. Her heritage was a bit different than the others, seeming as how her mother was from Scotland, but after living here nearly her whole life she had gotten accustomed to Japan. Her pants were black and her top was a dark green.

Chika Suzuki was about 24 as well with long black hair and green eyes as she reached the height of 5'7'. Her outfit was black and an orange/yellow.

Fuyu Kimura was 5'6' at the age of 23 with medium black hair and green eyes, having taken on her aunt's look by not only hair and eyes but clothes as well as in the black, western-style pants and a bright pink, fancy top.

Asami Kimura was the one that you would call the 'Head of the Pack' with long black hair and green eyes. She appeared to be in her middle twenties and at the height of 5'8'. Her outfit was much like her niece's but her shirt was a dark purple.

With the wrestling finally at an end for the moment, Katsumi and Ryoko joined the others for breakfast.

"So, what the plan for today?" Katsumi asked.

"We're going to check Kyoto out," Tsukiko was the one to answer. "We got in late last night so I want to see what they have here."

Talk broke out amongst them all for a moment on the idea of what they were going to do around the city when Asami opened her mouth. "I would like for you all to keep out of the city problems. I do not what a repeat of Edo happening here in Kyoto, understand?"

Everyone, except for Asami, turned to look at the duo that had been wrestling. Ryoko flushed and hung her head but Katsumi held her head high as she crossed her arms with a smirk. "Well, the men shouldn't have tried to touch those other women. I wasn't just going to stand there and let them have their way with them." Ryoko lifted her head and gave a prideful look towards the woman beside her.

"Yes, but you didn't have to pulverize them to near death," Yumi replied, and then added under her breath- "Though I would have done the same thing."

"Still, I'll take Ryoko with Yumi and I," Tsukiko decided to say. "It would be a smart idea to go off in groups in this city."

At that, Ryoko opened her mouth the say something but closed it again. She wanted to go travel the city with Katsumi but she knew better than to argue with Tsukiko. As second in command, whatever Tsukiko said was what was done; unless Asami had something else to say. Lifting her gaze towards the said woman, Ryoko flushed and glanced away when she found Asami glancing back at her. No doubt the older woman knew exactly what was going through her mind.

With no sound of objection from any of the others, Fuyu when off with Asami, like always, and Chika and Katsumi were left to stick together, leaving Tsukiko, Ryoko, and Yumi to go off into the city.

Kyoto was large, larger than Edo was, and so there was so much more for them to take a gander at. All the shops and the people there. There were performers in the streets and musicians and children were running around and playing ball. There was even food being sold and the cooked chicken was beginning to make Ryoko's stomach growl.

"You can honestly not be hungry, can you?" Yumi demanded, a hand on her hip. Ryoko flushed and turned her head away. "God, you take after Katsumi a bit too much, Ryo," The blonde woman shook her head.

Yumi and Tsukiko both weren't from Japan but they had become accustomed to the territory well over the years they were here. Yumi was not the woman's real name, seeming as how she changed it after joining Asami and the others. Ryoko had joined the group only after Yumi had so her real name, and where she came from, was not known to her; not that it mattered, though. Yumi was a woman, fierce in battle and protective of those important to her, but she also held a playful side to her as well.

Tsukiko wasn't from Japan either. Her mother was Scottish, her father Japanese, and she only came to Japan when she was young. Tsukiko, without a doubt, was a strict woman but she also had a soft side to her that Ryoko saw when she smiled, watching the children. It wasn't often that she let it out but the younger woman knew that it was there.

The sun now reached high in the sky, telling the trio that it was mid-day now. Yumi had made a comment about being hungry but Tsukiko didn't reply, staring off into the crowd before them. Ryoko followed her gaze to find her staring at men that were walking around with swords and light blue haoris. The men were all over the place, telling Ryoko that they must have been guards of the city or something.

"Who do you think they are?" Ryoko asked the older woman.

Yumi gave a frown as Tsukiko didn't answer. "Who cares? If they don't mess with us then there's nothing for us to worry about," She gave a smile and placed her arms around both their shoulders. "Now, ladies, let get something to eat!"

The trio settled into a small restaurant, ignoring all the looks they received from their choice of dress and the blades the three women carried, they settled in happily and ordered some food.

"Pull your head out of the clouds," Yumi's voice dragged Ryoko from gazing out the window. She had seen Katsumi and Chika walking past the window, laughing and talking. "You can survive without Katsumi for a little while, Ryo."

The younger woman hung her head, her cheeks turning a bright red. "Is it…that obvious?"

"Yeah, it is," Yumi replied, nodding her head. "But don't feel bad. You just have to take it down a notch."

"What Yumi is trying to say is that Katsumi's not going to always be there for you." Tsukiko drank her sake and refilled her glass. "It's easy to get attached to someone after what happened, but you also have to learn how to stand on your own again."

"Or find a husband," Yumi told her, picking up her own glass as the food was brought to them.

"She's 17, there's no need to be worried about that just yet." Tsukiko replied as Ryoko pulled a frown. She leaned forward and looked at Ryoko. "Besides, I doubt that Katsumi will be going anywhere anytime soon."

Ryoko gave a sigh. "You guys…you're so understanding."

"Well, we were there," Yumi reminded her. "Besides, we're all women. I've gone through something like this once, too…" Her voice faded for a moment…

"Hey! Let go of me!"

All three of them turned to the table across from them. A set of drunken men, (this early, really?) were harassing a waitress; one of them had pulled her into his lap and was trying to kiss her. Ryoko jumped to her feet with a growl.

"Asami told us to stay out of something like this," Yumi reminded them as she took another sip from her sake.

"She'll understand," Ryoko replied, moving forward to stop the drunken man but Tsukiko cut her off, tossing her sake glass across the way to shatter it by the man's face.

"Hey!" The waitress was let go and she ran as the four men turned to glare at the three of them. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm pretty sure that I saved you from making a fool out of yourself," Tsukiko replied, her voice cool and eyes closed. "When a woman doesn't want you, it hurts a man, doesn't it? If that's what you can even call yourself anymore."

Ryoko gave a small chuckle as Tsukiko had a vocal battle with the four men before it turned into something in the streets; a sword fight. Ryoko wore a worried look on her face but Yumi swore a smirk, the sake bottle in one hand and the cup in the other.

"Kick their drunken asses, Tsukiko. Show them what a member of the Okami Pack can do."

"I don't think this is a good idea," Ryoko told them. "Asami will be mad."

"Coming from the one that was ready to pound their faces into their table?" Yumi chuckled. "Besides, it's Tsukiko. She can get away with anything; even more so than Fuyu can. Asami trusts Tsukiko's judgments. Besides, who was just saying they wanted to stop them?" Ryoko couldn't deny that as her friend laughed. "Don't worry, it won't take long."

And Yumi was right. It didn't take that long, and not just because the men were drunk. Even without her sword, Tsukiko was amazing in a fight. It's no wonder that she was the instructor of the Okami Pack before they left Edo.

"Good job, Tsukiko," Ryoko told her friend.

"Pah, not even worth it." The other woman snorted, crossing her arms.

"And that is that," Yumi waved a hand at the four men piled on top of each other on the ground. "Run along before you do something else to embarrass yourselves."

"Too late," Ryoko shook her head. "I wouldn't want to let myself be seen in the streets again after getting that badly beat by a woman."

"You can say that again." The new voice caught them and they turned to find that a crowd had gathered around them; but the ones that caught their attention were the three that walked closer for a chat. Three men in those blue haoris.

The one that had spoken was a cheerful young man, about 18, with long brown hair he kept up in a ponytail with blue-green eyes. Dressed in a yellow sleeveless shirt over a purple one with a red and black sash around his waist, black pants and a set of swords on his waist.

The one in the middle was tall with a green bandanna around his short, dark brown hair and matching eyes with a tan, muscular body beneath a violet shirt.

The third man of the group was 5'10' in height with dark Amber eyes and long red hair, he wore a modified kataginu with red trimming and a red bandage-like obi, red hand guards and gray hakama.

"Hello," Ryoko heard Yumi say under her breath; her eyes were all over the redhead. Ryoko gave a snort, trying to cover her laugh.

"Can we help you?"

Ryoko turned and looked up at Tsukiko. It wasn't often that she was…okay it WAS often that she was annoyed, but there was just something strange about her tone in voice at this point; and the glare she was giving the middle man.

"Well, we just heard the commotion and decided to come and see what was going on," The shorter man gave a smile. "Imagine our surprise to find women with swords and western clothes."

"Yeah, you'd expect to have the western style over here a bit more than it is, wouldn't you?" Ryoko asked, giving a small smile.

"Hey, if the men still want to run around in dresses then let them," Yumi placed a hand on her hip. "Not our problem."

"Hey, not too bad there," The middle man gave a grin to Tsukiko. "Been using a blade for a while now, right? How long? Women don't normally fight."

Tsukiko crossed her arms, her eyes giving off that angered look. "That's because men are afraid that we'll be better; not surprising how foolish you can be."

The man understood she was taking a stab at him. "Hey! I-"

"Calm down, Shinpachi, I'm sure she didn't mean it the way you took it." The redhead gave a small smile as he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. Shinpachi gave a snort and crossed his arms. The redhead looked at the three women. "Can I ask what happened?"

"Well, these four losers decided to try and hit on the waitress and she didn't like it. I think you can understand what happened next." Yumi answered him.

"Indeed," The redhead looked at the younger boy. "Heisuke, go grab a few of the others and take care of these guys, will you?"

The young boy gave a nod. "Not a problem, Sano. I'll be back in a second."

"Sano?" Yumi raised a brow with a soft smile. "As in short for Sanosuke?"

The redhead gave a smile. "Good guess. Sanosuke Harada. And you are?"

"Yumi Sato."

Ryoko could tell from the look on Sanosuke's face that he didn't believe that was the blonde's real name but he accepted it with another smile.

"If we're not needed, let's be on our way," Tsukiko told the duo with her, turning to leave.

Yumi turned to follow, but not before- "We're here for a few days. Maybe we can catch a drink before we leave."

Sanosuke gave his grin. "I think I'd like that."

"Good. I'll find you through your blue friends," She waved over her shoulder. Ryoko gave another look at the redhead before giggling as she hurried after her friend.

"Find him that attractive, eh Yumi?"

"Shut it."

Ryoko didn't like men too much but she understood the others desire for them. Yumi always told her she would grow up one day but she didn't know if she really wanted too or not. It all seemed like just too much trouble.

After that, there was no sign of trouble from any of the people in the city, not even the Shinsengumi again. They ended up running into the rest of the group as night fell and people disappeared into the buildings, leaving the streets empty. It seemed that the three of them weren't the only ones that had run into a problem with the Shinsengumi soldiers and Asami told them that it wasn't a good idea to stick around for too long and so they would be leaving Kyoto the next morning before trouble could have a chance to arouse itself. Ryoko had wanted to stay for a little longer but she wouldn't argue with what Asami said; she had learned not too over the time she had been with the older woman.

A scream made everyone freeze in their place; Ryoko felt fear rise up in her throat. It had been a woman.

"Oh no," Yumi shook her head, crossing her arms. "No, we're not getting involved with this." There was a second scream and Asami and Tsukiko moved off quickly, the other following them; Yumi gave silent curses along the way. What they came across wasn't what they had been expecting.

A group of men were kneeling on the ground in a back alley in a circle over the body of a young woman and her child. Ryoko gave a small sigh of relief at the thought of someone running to help the woman but then she noticed something. The men were all wearing those light blue haoris of the Shinsengumi; and blood. They had been the cause of the woman's screams!

"What the fuck…" Ryoko's voice sounded disgusted as the men stood up and turned to face them. Their eyes were a glowing red and their hair was white as they wore looks of hunger and lust.

One of them ran forward with a roar at the women. Katsumi was the closest to him so she quickly whipped out her sword and knocked him to his back with a large slash splattering blood at his feet. She smirked but it quickly fell as the man stood back up, completely healed like nothing had happened at all.

~But how?~ Ryoko asked, frozen in shock. ~That's not possible~

The cut on his shirt was there but the wound was gone; not even a mark to show that it had been there.

"What the hell?" Katsumi cried at the sight of the white-haired man getting back up.

"So," Yumi grinned as she pulled her own sword out. "Normal attacks won't work, huh?"

"I don't know," Tsukiko pulled her's out as well. "Perhaps we should try them headless. What do you think?"

"Works for me. If they can move without heads you can take all the money I have." Chika decided to join in with the duo, her own sword drawn.

Her hand shaking, Ryoko went to grab her own blade but a hand on her shoulder caught her. Glancing over, Asami stood there, shaking her head in silence, telling the younger woman to let the three women have their fun. Instead she just watched as the three women quickly took care of the men, their heads rolling across the ground as their bodies feel.

"Don't worry about it, Katsumi," They all turned to look at Asami. The leader of the pack was staring up at the sky for a moment as the battle finished. "We'll get our answers soon enough."

Ryoko raised a brow. "What do you-"

"Would you look at that," a voice cut her off. "They actually killed them!"

Ryoko recognized that voice and whipped around in time for Yumi's voice to join it. "You three again."

Indeed, the three men from before had shown up again. Heisuke had been the one to talk as Sanosuke and Shinpachi stood close by him. She took a gulp at the sight of the other six men with them, though she was glad to see that none of them had that white hair or red eyes.

The first man that caught Ryoko's attention was the man that she found sharing a glare with Asami. This young man was the tallest of them all with black hair that trailed down his back and a set of dark, purple eyes. Beneath his Haori were the colors black and purple.

The next two men were one with glasses and medium brown hair and the other had brown hair that was pulled up much like that Okita fellow had been. Speaking of which…

"You!" Katsumi's growl grabbed Ryoko's attention and she turned to find that she was glaring at one of the other men. He reached the height of 6'1' with brown hair and green eyes. He wore clothes of red/orange and gray beneath the light blue haori and the white tasuki of the Shinsengumi. He was wearing a smirk as he stared at the speaking woman, his arms crossed. "What do you want this time?"

Before the man could answer, the sound of a sword being drawn made Katsumi turn. Another man stood there. He was close to the other man's height with dark hair and blue eyes as he dressed in black beneath his own Haori and tasuki. There was a white scarf around his neck, despite it being in summer, and he wore a plain face as he glanced at the woman he had drawn his sword on.

Ryoko's hand instantly jolted to her own blade, ready to run forward the moment this bastard tried to harm Katsumi. The other women followed suit, readying themselves for a fight.

"What's wrong? Not scared of a few women, are you?" Chika asked as her gaze traveled between the men that now gripped their own swords.

"Considering that you are the Okami Pack and not just your ordinary women, it seems like it would be a smart idea to be cautious at first." The silent man replied.

Ryoko watched as Katsumi grinned, ignoring the blade that being pointed at her. "Like I said before; you're the smart one."

Fuyu looked at all of them for a moment before sighing and letting go of her sword. "Is this really necessary?" She asked them, taking a step forward as she rubbed the side of her head. "Can't we act like civilized people and talk instead of trying to kill each other?"

One of the men, the one without glasses, let out a laugh and let go of his own blade; the other followed suit. "You're right. I'm sure that you all have questions. Perhaps we can handle this-"

"Kondou," The man that had been glaring at Asami now looked at the other man. "You know quite well that-"

"Toshizo, they're women! What can we-"

"We are standing right here you know," Katsumi had beat Ryoko to her words. "Either you talk or we're going to leave, got it? Some of us are tired." Their eyes turned to her as she continued to stare at the one called Toshizo.

"I'm confused," Heisuke called out, scratching the side of his head. "Saito called these women the 'Okami Pack'. What does that mean?"

"The story is," Sanosuke answered. "That a small group of samurai mercenaries formed in the south and have been traveling all over the country, taking on tasks and missions that the others find to be…either too hard or too foolish. Rumors had been going about the group being ex-warriors of the army or something like that, but apparently that's not the case anymore."

"Yeah," Shinpachi commented now, crossing his arms. "Who'd ever thought that it would be women?"

"Why does everyone make that comment?" Yumi hung her head as she glanced over at Tsukiko. "Are women warriors really something that strange?"

"Men are just idiots and thick-headed," Tsukiko gave the muscled man a glare. "Thinking that they are the only ones capable of fighting."

Shinpachi didn't seem to like that. "What did you say?"

"Hold on, Shinpachi," the redhead grabbed his friend as he ran forward for the second time that day.

"No, let him go, Sanosuke," Heisuke laughed. "I wanna see him get his butt kicked."

"What did you say, you runt?" Shinpachi rounded on the other man.

Sanosuke shook his head as a few giggles escaped Ryoko's mouth. "You just make it worse, Heisuke."

Toshizo looked like he was about to murder the two of them as the others stayed silent. The man in glasses decided to step forward. "The point is, Kondou, you saw what I did. We have a problem."

The man nodded and rubbed his chin. "Yes, we do." He thought for a moment, closing his eyes before looking back to Asami. "You're the Okami Pack, aren't you? The symbols you wear on the back of your coats are the same as the stories say."

Ryoko glanced at the coat Tsukiko wore. They all wore the same thing over their regular clothes. The coats were long and black with the white design of fire and a furious looking wolf on the back.

"And is we are?" Asami replied.

"Then that can either make it better," Ryoko's breath caught at Kondou's next words. "Or worse." He took a step forward to Asami. "I am Isami Kondou, the commander of the Shinsengumi. Would it be too much to ask you and your companions to come with us to our headquarters?"

Asami locked eyes with him. "It appears that we have stepped over the boundaries and into something that needs a lot of explaining."

Kondou gave her a nod. "Something that cannot be explained out in the open."

She gave him a few more moments of a silent stare. "How do I know that you will not jump on us?"

Kondou's face was serious. "I swear on my honor as a samurai."

Asami turned her head and closed her eyes. "Then you'd best hurry with your explanation."

"How can we trust that?" Fuyu asked her aunt. "The last time-"

"This is not the time nor the place," Tsukiko cut the other woman off. "If you're aunt tells us to go then we shall go."

"Don't worry, Fuyu," Katsumi gave her friend a thumbs-up. "They won't be able to touch us!"

Ryoko gave a silent frown. She didn't like the feel of what was going on here.

"Come on," Lifting her head, Ryoko found Kondou and Toshizo had moved to lead the way from the alley. Heisuke and the man with the glasses had stayed behind to do something with the bodies and she wrapped her arms around her body, praying silently that everything was going to be okay.

 **Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	2. Chapter 2

_**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/GAME!**_

 _ **Chapter Two**_

 _ **The Shinsengumi**_

" **Do you think the others are okay?"**

"You worry too much, Ryoko."

"Are you telling me that you're not worried?"

Fuyu gave a sigh. "That's not what I said. Of course I'm worried. We were captured by a group of men and thrown in a room away from the others. I am terrified; I just hold it in better than you do." Ryoko hung her head. Fuyu gave a small smile. "But don't worry. You are the youngest and you don't have enough…experience like the rest of us do. You will find your abilities growing stronger and better as time moves on; you just have to be patient."

"Patient…being thrown into events like this doesn't make me patient. It makes me worry even more."

The men from the night before had separated the women into groups. Asami had been in this room with the two of them about an hour ago before one of the men, the one known as Toshizo, came and took her. They had been given warnings not to run and, by the looks of it, none of the women had.

"Whatever we ran into last night must be quite important," Fuyu commented. "I wonder what was going on with it exactly."

"I don't care," Ryoko shook her head. "All it was, was bad luck to run into those…those things and anything else to do with them will just cause more!"

"You can't be telling me that you're not even the least bit curious," Fuyu raised a brow at her friend.

Ryoko went still and glanced to the side. "Not…not entirely, but still! I just don't want anything bad to happen to us."

"Have faith, Ryoko," Fuyu told her as their door was opened. "And everything will be okay."

A man stood there, a small smile on his face as he introduced himself as Genzaburo Inoue. "Are the two of you well this morning?"

"Define well while we sit here in imprisonment." Fuyu gave him a sweet smile but the meaning behind her words and her eyes were sour.

The man gave a small chuckle. "I understand, believe me, but perhaps this should cheer you up. I am here to take you to the others."

"Others as in our sisters or others as in the men? Ryoko asked, jumping to her feet.

Inoue shook his head. "Kondou thought it would be easier to talk to you all separately then having all seven of you in a large group all at once." He stepped back from the door. "You shouldn't fear. I know that the other men may all seem big and scary but they're all really nice; big puppies when you get past first impressions."

Fuyu gave a shiver. "There's no way Toshizo is a big puppy."

Inoue gave a laugh as the two women followed him down the hall. "Well, they do call him the Demon."

"The Demon?" Fuyu pulled a face. "So unoriginal." Ryoko gave a laugh at her friend.

The room that they were led too was large and silent as they were let inside; Inoue stayed outside. All the men that they had met last night sat there before them, a single form sitting off to the side by herself, facing the men with eyes closed.

"Aunt Asami!" Fuyu slid to a stop on her knees beside her aunt. "They didn't hurt you, did they? Treat you ill?"

"I am fine," Asami answered her niece. "As are the others." Ryoko felt a bit relieved but her nervousness flooded her again as she glanced back at the men that stared at them in silence. She gave a shiver. "Take a seat, Ryoko. We have some rather interesting things to talk about." Asami told her.

"I…" Ryoko glanced at one of the men again, he wore a large, crooked smirk; it was the one that Katsumi had growled at the night before. She glanced back at Asami as she sat. "Where are the others?"

"Katsumi and Tsukiko are still in their room," Asami answered. "But Inoue has taken Chika and Yumi for some food after their own…meeting before bringing the two of you here. As I said, the others are safe, so don't worry."

"I apologize for the circumstances," The voice turned Fuyu and Ryoko's attention to the man that sat in the middle before them. It was Isami Kondou. He was supposed to be the leader of the Shinsengumi. "May I ask for your names?"

Fuyu glanced at her Aunt and Asami gave a nod. "Fuyu Kimura," She answered him.

"R-Ryoko Ito," She took a breath. "And you are?"

Isami went down the line. She recognized Heisuke Toudou, Shinpachi Nagakura, and Sanosuke Harada from the event at the restaurant yesterday with Yumi and Tsukiko and then Toshizo from earlier that morning when he had arrived to take Asami from their room. Souji Okita was the strange man with that crooked smile as he continued to stare at the two women, and the last one was the man that had drawn his sword on Katsumi last night. The silent Hajime Saito.

"How…how much trouble are we in?" Ryoko found herself very nervous under all these eyes.

Isami tilted his head, raising a brow. "Trouble?"

"This is all about attacking your soldiers in blue last night, right?" She asked.

The man looked at her with soft eyes. "How can someone as young and sweet as you be in the ominous Okami Pack?"

Fuyu snorted. "Don't let her fool you, old man," Isami pulled a face and repeated the title. "When we're shoved in battle, Ryoko can be one of the worst of us all. She's just nervous." She took a breath. "So why don't you just go ahead and tell us what's going on here? What was that last night?"

"Due to the circumstances, age wise, I have been asked to refrain from explaining what happened last night," Isami glanced at Asami; she closed her eyes.

Relief flooded through Ryoko. The less they knew the better, but Fuyu wasn't pleased.

"What? So we walk in on a woman getting eaten by your men and find that they can regenerate their wounds but we receive no explanation? Where's the fairness in that?"

"Talk to your aunt," Shinpachi grunted, crossing his arms. "Her decision. I told Isami it would be better to just kill all of you instead of just fooling around like we are now."

Fuyu narrowed her eyes.

"Now now," Okita still wore that grin on his face. "Don't rile them up, Nagakura. You still have to give them a chance to make a decision before we give them their fate."

Ryoko glanced back to Isami. "What do you plan on doing with us?"

Isami closed his eyes for a moment. "Unfortunately what you witnessed last night wasn't something that civilians are supposed to see, especially not travelers. Normally if you were men then we wouldn't have a problem in taking care of you," It wasn't hard for Ryoko to realize that he was talking about killing them. "But since you are all women it goes against my vows in doing so. So instead I came up with another plan. After talking to Kimura there," He gestured at Asami. "It seems that Saito was right in claiming you to be the Okami Pack. I didn't expect the group to be made of women but that doesn't change my mind. Warriors are Warriors and to have the ones known as the Okami Pack inside of the Shinsengumi would add to our reputation."

Ryoko stared at him for a moment before a smile began to crack in her lips. As her snickers formed, Fuyu glanced at her in confusion, the men doing the same. "So you throw us in a room for the night and scare us out of our minds before asking us to become a member of your little squad?" She threw her head back with that large smile and stared at the ceiling. "And to think that I had been afraid."

"So the little one does have some fight in her," Okita grinned.

"Either that or she's really, really agitated." Heisuke decided to comment with a smile of his own. "I agree with Isami. She seems too sweet to be a fighter."

"We're not here to discuss whether or not she's sweet enough to be a member of the Okami Pack," Toshizo growled. "We're here to discuss what to do with them."

"Oh, the big, scary Demon's not afraid of women now, is he?" Fuyu decided to shoot out. The moment his face turned into an even worse look of displeasure, Fuyu's sneer grew wider.

"Fuyu," Asami cut in before Toshizo could say anything. "Now is not the time." Her niece gave a frown before crossing her arms. "I understand how you feel about all of this but you need to be serious."

"Either join or die? Some choices," Ryoko sighed, dropping her head again.

"I really don't care. I'm fine with whatever choice you give us," Fuyu told her aunt. "Better yet, I'll go with whatever Chika and Yumi said. And if they chose to die then I will make sure to take down as many as you bastards with me as I can!"

Ryoko gave a small smile as she shook her head at her friend. She then glanced at Asami. "I agree. Whatever my sisters chose, I will gladly follow."

Asami shook her own head. "Then I suppose it is a good thing that the two of them found joining the Shinsengumi to be interesting, isn't it?"

"I should have known," Fuyu sighed. "Dammit."

Asami gave a sigh and glanced at Isami. "You brought this upon yourself. I warned you that their personalities would be…difficult. Our name is not for show."

Isami gave a small laugh. "I can see," Clapping his hands, Inoue opened the door after a few more moments. "I would like you to follow Inoue to be reunited with your other companions while we talk to the final two."

"I hope Katsumi rips you all a new one," Fuyu grunted, stomping from the room.

Ryoko stood silently to follow her before glancing back at the ones in the room. A few had begun to talk amongst themselves but the young one, Heisuke was giving her a smile. It brought a small one to her own before leaving the room herself.

"Damn, you know what we forgot to ask?" Fuyu began as they moved down another hall.

"What?"

"For our swords back." Fuyu ran a hand over her face. "Dammit."

Ryoko gave a frown. She had completely forgotten about their blades as well. Now that she thought about it, she felt…different without the weapon on her hip.

"Don't worry," Inoue gave them a smile. "Your weapons will be returned without a problem once things settle down."

They were led to a courtyard beneath some trees to find the other two women of their group sitting there, enjoying a quiet talk and food.

"Chika! Yumi!" Ryoko smiled, hurrying forward. "I'm glad to see you again!"

"Same here," Yumi clapped a hand on the younger woman's shoulders.

"Tell me," Chika grinned. "What did the two of you think of our new friends?"

"I think they're morons," Fuyu grunted. "I just feel disappointed that I won't be able to be in the room with Katsumi and Tsukiko when they get their turn of 'the talk'."

"That's exactly what I said," Yumi laughed. "And from the way that Tsukiko was treating that Nagakura fellow, well, I have to say that it will be quite entertaining."

Ryoko gave a small laugh of her own as she dug into the food herself but she found she could not eat correctly. Her stomach was still in knots as she waited for Katsumi's face to join them in the courtyard, unharmed. Katsumi would be able to take care of herself and she was smart, but Ryoko still had a bad feeling; at least until the remaining trio of the Okami pack finally joined them about half-an hour later.

"Katsumi! Tsukiko!" Fuyu greeted the women with her Aunt. "I'm glad to see that you're all right."

"I take it that you agreed to stay too then, huh?" Yumi asked them.

"What did you think that we were going to do?" Tsukiko asked, sitting down beside her friend.

"Well, with Katsumi there with you," Ryoko decided to say, a large smile on her face as she shot her friend a teasing grin. "We were expecting the men to quickly run out of the room in rage. Did she not annoy them?"

"Oh, very funny," Katsumi gave a fake laugh.

"Believe it or not," Asami decided to smile. "It was Tsukiko that angered the men; especially that Nagakura fellow." The four around the table stared at Tsukiko in surprise. She normally didn't act like that.

Chika shook her head. "I've got a bad feeling about us staying here," She told the others. Her attitude changed now that all of them were there; she must have held a cheerful disposition for Fuyu and Ryoko to keep them from worrying when they joined them.

"Yes, well there's not much else that we can right this moment," Asami told her. "Give it a few days and maybe then I'll have an idea." Chika nodded.

Katsumi stretched her arms with a grin. "Well then, if that's the case, then I just have one thing to say to you," She pointed at Ryoko. Tsukiko slapped a hand to her face, knowing what was coming as Ryoko gave a timid 'what?'. "Give me your food!"

Instantly Ryoko jumped up from the table with her plate, running around and trying her fastest to finish what was there as Katsumi chased her around, demanding for it to be handed over to her. Ryoko felt the knots in her stomach disappear now that Katsumi had been returned to her. Now with her close by again, she knew that everything was going to be alright.

 **Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	3. Chapter 3

_**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/GAME!**_

 _ **Chapter Three**_

 _ **Partners**_

" **Patrol?"**

"Yeah, were you not told?"

Ryoko shook her head, staring at Katsumi with a confused look still. "Nothing. I knew that we would be joining their little club but no word was given about having to partner up with them and patrol the city."

"Don't worry about it," Katsumi placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Everything will be fine. Just do what your companion tells you and you'll get the hang of it quicker than you can say rabbit."

"Rabbit," Ryoko grumbled.

Katsumi laughed at her. "You worry too much, Ryoko. Everything will be fine so don't worry. Besides, if anything happens you know I'll come running for you, no problem." Ryoko gave the other woman an appreciative smile. "Oh, we get our swords back too, so you'll definitely have nothing to worry about. Just chop off a hand or two and you'll be left alone."

That brought a laugh from the younger woman, her friend's personality undoubtedly cheering her up; Katsumi always did. "You always know how to cheer me up, Yamaguchi."

"That's because you're important to me, Ito," Katsumi stood up from the walkway and stretched as she shoved her shoes on. "I'm sure the smart one is waiting on me," She was referring to her patrol partner, Saito. "So I'd better go before I make him wait too much longer." She gave her friend another smile. "No worries, right Ryoko?"

She nodded her head. "Yeah, no worries." She watched as the older woman walked off before giving a sigh.

"You seem attached to her more than you do to the others." The voice made her jump to her feet, her actions turning into defense mode as she whipped around to see one of the men standing behind her.

"Sorry," Heisuke smiled. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Ryoko took a breath and calmed her beating heart down. "Be glad that I didn't have my sword!"

The young man gave a chuckle. "You mean this?" He held up the sheathed blade in his left hand; she recognized the blue hilt instantly.

"Hyoma!"

Heisuke raised a brow as she grabbed her blade from him. "You named it?"

"Of course!" She nodded, her smile on her face turned her into a child again. "Hyoma is as much a part of me as my hand or foot. I had to give him a name!" She closed her eyes, remembering the time that Katsumi had told her that about her own blade, Kurina. That was why she had chosen to name her blade as well. She just didn't talk to it like her friend did.

Heisuke stared at her with that grin of his. "Seriously, how can someone like you be a member of the Okami Pack?"

Her smile fell almost instantly at that. "Don't criticize me."

Heisuke threw his hands up. "No criticizing, honest. You just seem so…sweet."

Ryoko stared at him for a moment before turning away. "What are you here for?"

"I came to pick you up," He replied.

She glanced back at him. "Pick me up? For what?"

"For Patrol, of course." Heisuke grinned. "Weren't you told?"

"No, unfortunately not. Be glad that Katsumi came by and told me just moments ago." Ryoko gave a sigh. "So, you're my Patrol Partner?"

"Yep, that's me." Heisuke continued to smile.

"Hmm…you're young to be in the Shinsengumi, don't you think? Really thin, too."

That was not what the young man had been expecting and he stared at her in shock. All her cuteness was gone and was replaced by a more serious tone and feel. Perhaps he really had judged her too soon. She was a part of the Okami Pack; they were said to be blood-thirsty mercenaries. How much of the stories were true, though? He crossed his arms. "Like you can talk. I'm older than you."

"Yeah, but there's no meat on your bones. What do they do, starve you over here? Not surprising. The others seemed really crude." She turned towards the gates. "Well? Are we going to go?"

Heisuke stared at her for a moment before a grin spread again. "First, you need to put this on."

Ryoko glanced at what he held out to her. It was the blue Haori and white tasuki of the Shinsengumi. She gave a frown, thinking of the jacket that currently sat in her room. "What if I don't want to?"

His smile turned a bit more worried. "Well, I'm afraid that you have to. You are technically apart of the Shinsengumi, so…" He left it there and Ryoko gave a sigh before grabbing it. His smile brightened back as he watched her slip it on. "See? It doesn't look too bad. Blue is definitely a good color on you."

"Yeah…" A frown spread across Ryoko's face for a moment before she glanced at the young man again. "All right. Show me how this is done."

It was that next afternoon. The women had been given rooms to share; Asami the only one to receive a room of her own. Ryoko was sharing a room with Fuyu who had been given as a partner to Toshizo…sort of. Katsumi split a room with Chika and was partners with Saito, Chika with that weird Okita guy. Tsukiko and Yumi shared a room and, unfortunately, Tsukiko was partnered with Shinpachi and Yumi with Sanosuke.

Hey, at least they would get a chance to catch that drink they wanted.

Ryoko couldn't complain, really. Heisuke seemed like a really sweet, carefree guy compared to the others and Ryoko was really glad she wasn't stuck with that weird guy, Okita. REALLY glad. But that didn't mean that she trusted Heisuke. She didn't trust men at all…

Their job was to run routes around Kyoto and make sure that things stayed calm and silent. Not that hard, as long as nothing bad broke out. Heisuke was a very talkative man, going on and on about things. He didn't even seem to notice that Ryoko stayed silent and just continued to talk. She wore a smile at some of his words though, especially when he made fun of Shinpachi and she let out a few laughs at that. In the streets there were children playing. Men trying to pick up women(both drunk and sober). Salesmen standing in the streets, calling out prices to passerbys. The smell of food haunted the streets but Ryoko wasn't very hungry. Instead, one of the venders had caught her attention with some hair pieces. The one that had caught her was a hair pin with a rabbit and a Crescent moon. It caught her attention good, pulling her from walking the streets to get a better look at it.

"Ah, you have a fine eye there, Madam," The vender gave her a grin. "Made of the finest materials from the south."

Heisuke had walked a few more steps before he realized that his partner had bailed on him. Turning, he moved up beside her as she took a closer look at the hair pin. He gave a grin but it soon fell when she set the trinket back down and walked away.

"Hey, I thought you liked that. Don't you want it?" he asked, moving after her.

Ryoko wore a sad smile. "Not that much."

Heisuke stared at her for a moment. Was she talking about the price of it? Did she not have enough money for it? "Ryoko, are you-" Heisuke's voice was cut off by a woman's scream from down the street. "What the? That never means anything good, does it?" He asked himself with a sigh.

"I suppose not." Ryoko replied and hurried down the street.

They didn't have to worry though because by the time they got to the restaurant the commotion was happening in, the problem was already in the process of being taken care of. Katsumi and Saito had arrived first and were in the process of beating the hell out of a group of drunken men. Ryoko shook her head in disappointment, seeing a flashback from just a few days ago when she went out with Tsukiko and Yumi. But seeing Katsumi in action did bring a smile to her face.

"And that is why you don't mess with a member of the Okami Pack!" Katsumi cried proudly as she stomped her foot on the man's back beneath her.

"Well look at that! We hurried over at the scream and we aren't even needed."

Saito and Katsumi both turned to see Ryoko and Heisuke stood in the doorway of the shack, looking over the men on the ground.

Katsumi smiled. "You have to be faster than that, Ryo."

"Wow, did you help do this, Saito?" The young man looked at the men knocked out across the floor. "I didn't know that you could fight with your fists." He sounded impressed. "I didn't know that you had it in you." He teased with a smile.

Katsumi smirked herself as Saito hid his. "Come on now, if you fight with a sword you have to fight with your hands, too. What would happen if your sword broke halfway into the fight and you don't have a spare one? You gotta know how to do something till you can knock the enemy's sword from themselves to get it for yourself." Ryoko smiled at her friend's words. They had learned that lesson the hard way a year ago.

"I never thought of that," Heisuke admitted.

"Are you sure that you're part of the Shinsengumi?" Ryoko asked the man beside her.

He pulled a face. "Yeah, I'm sure!"

Katsumi rolled her eyes and turned to the woman that was still standing to her side. "Are you all right?"

The woman, still seeming to be in a bit of shock, nodded. "Yes, thank you for saving me."

"Not a problem!" Katsumi gave her a thumbs-up. "We women have to look out for eachother, don't you think?"

Ryoko turned her face for a moment before she was dragged into the conversation.

"Are you two…Shinsengumi?"

"Yep!" Ryoko nodded. "Today was our first patrol!"

"I have never seen a woman in the Shinsengumi, let alone wielding a blade," The woman told them in awe.

"We're just that good," Katsumi decided to brag; Ryoko rolled her eyes with that smile still on her face. "If you get good enough I'm sure that you could make it too. And if not, just dress up like a guy. They can't say 'no' then."

The woman pulled a surprised look as she seemed to be thinking about something else. "I never thought of doing that…" She gave Katsumi and Ryoko a soft bow. "Thank you again, and excuse me."

Ryoko stared at her for a moment, a funny feeling settling around her about that girl but she just shrugged it away as Saito decided to speak. His voice was…it made him seem different than the others. Made him seem softer… "We have to return. Sanosuke and Shinpachi will have to perform their patrols."

"Yeah," Heisuke nodded in agreement. "Every time we're late, Shinpachi complains."

Ryoko smiled as she and the young man left. "Tsukiko isn't going to like that."

Heisuke began to lead her back to the base. It was nearly noon and it was time for Sanosuke and Shinpachi to run their rounds. "That friend of yours doesn't seem to like a lot of things."

"That's true but it seems that Shinpachi just rubs her the wrong way. I don't know why but she seems to really, really hate him."

"Yeah, I saw that too; especially during the meeting we had with her and Katsumi yesterday."

"Hmm."

Heisuke glanced at her from the side. "You seem to be a lot different when around that other woman. Why is that?"

She pulled a face. "I have known Katsumi and the others for almost three years and, don't take this the wrong way, but they didn't kidnap me and force me to work as a guardsmen for the city of Kyoto and threaten to kill me if I didn't agree to do so."

He gave a worried chuckle. "I guess that would but a bummer on things, wouldn't it? But just so you know, I didn't like the decision either but hopefully you can get used to it. It's really not so bad around the Shinsengumi. I mean, sure, you got some assholes but you have those everywhere, right?"

"I suppose…maybe."

"Oh, I never properly introduced myself, did I?" He smiled and turned to face her as they passed through the gates of the Shinsengumi grounds. "Heisuke Toudou."

Ryoko stared at him for a moment before giving a small smile back. "Ryoko Ito."

"Well then, Ryoko, let's hope this is the start to a great friendship." As he walked away, Ryoko stared after him with a dead look, her smile erased.

 **Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	4. Chapter 4

_**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/GAME!**_

 _ **Chapter Four**_

 _ **Rice and Flour**_

 **~I hate it here.** It's so boring Nothing fun ever happens anymore~

Ryoko sat in one of the Courtyards of the Shinsengumi Base, the other women of the Okami Pack there with her. She was staring at the small, white flower in her hand, giving a silent sigh of depression as the sun beat down on them. It had been about a month since they had forcibly joined the Shinsengumi. At first it wasn't so bad with the rounds to make in the city but lately the women had been left behind in the base more and more due to that exact fact. They were women and were being forced to be locked inside the Shinsengumi grounds like pets. Ryoko hated it more than anything…and it seemed that she wasn't the only one, either.

"It's not fair!" Katsumi's voice came from her left. The other woman was sprawled out across the grass of the Courtyard as well, arms folded behind her head as she stared at the sky. "I feel like a caged animal. The whole point of the Okami Pack was to prove that women were strong enough to travel and take care of themselves. To prove that men weren't the only ones able to use a sword. What happened, Asami?"

"You were there just like the rest of us, Katsumi," Yumi was the one to answer her, sipping from the tea in her hand. "Either death or working here."

~But we're not even working,~ Ryoko sighed to herself.

"Death? Ha!" Fuyu decided to let herself be heard. "We could have taken them! We still could, if they think they could keep us from leaving. I'm tired of just laying here in this same, stupid city. I want to go back to traveling, Auntie!" She told Asami.

"I think we all do," Chika sighed, setting her brush aside.

"There's no thinking that," Tsukiko mumbled, glancing up from the book in her hands. "It's true for all of us."

"Or at least something to do," Ryoko glanced up from the flower she held, taking her part in the conversation. "We're going to get fat and lazy the more they keep us here." She glanced back at her flower before dropping it back down on the ground.

Asami stayed silent, just watching the women around her before giving a sigh and standing up. "I suppose I can go talk to Kondou," She told them. "Maybe he'll have something for us to do."

Fuyu popped up to hurry after her aunt with a smile. "I'll go with you."

Things were silent for a moment before Katsumi decided to stand. "Well, I'm tired of sitting here in the sun. And I'm hungry."

Ryoko stood herself with a smile. She had just been thinking about food. "Same here. Let's go invade their pantry!"

The other woman smiled at her. "Ingenious idea, Ito!"

"Just don't destroy anything," They heard Tsukiko call after them as they left the courtyard. "I don't want to listen to any of them whine about it later tonight."

"Yeah, yeah," Katsumi waved a hand before shuffling down the hall. She glanced at the younger girl over her shoulder. "What do you feel like having?"

There were several things that Ryoko would have liked to have but… "Let's make that decision after we figure out what they have," She answered. "And they better have something good or I'm gonna be pissed!"

Katsumi gave a hearty laugh. "I have taught you well, Ryo."

Ryoko smiled at the older woman as she walked ahead of her. To be honest, Katsumi was Ryoko's favorite of the Okami Pack, for more reasons than one. The night that she had met Katsumi had been her best, and worst, memory of her life.

As the thought of that night came to her mind, Ryoko felt a shiver pass down her spine.

"Are you okay?" Ryoko lifted her head and found Katsumi glancing at her over her shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry," She smiled.

Katsumi stared at her with a frown for a moment before smiling again. "I was thinking, when it gets colder, I was going to go see my brothers."

Ryoko raised a brow. "Your brothers?" She knew where this conversation was going to go. The last two winters that she had spent with Katsumi and the Pack this always came around.

"Yeah," She nodded. "I haven't seen them all in a while and winter is always the season that we enjoyed the most together. It would be nice to see how they're doing." She glanced at the younger woman, that smile still on her face. "You'll be able to survive a little while without me, won't you?"

"Aww, when are you going to take me with you to meet them? They sound really cool!"

Katsumi continued to smile. "Maybe one day."

Ryoko frowned. She knew that there was something that Katsumi was hiding, but she didn't know what it was. She wanted to know, without a doubt, but she also didn't want to pry into Katsumi's past and feelings. If she was to know what it was, then she would be told eventually.

When they found themselves in the pantry, neither of them were impressed. Rice. Flour. Teas leaves. And it looked like the kitchen hadn't been cleaned in a while.

"Leave it to men to be a bunch of dirty bastards." Ryoko shook her head.

Katsumi rolled her eyes. "They don't seem to shop either, unless that's what some of them are doing now," She found Sake bottles, hidden behind some of the rice bags. "Something tells me that this belongs to Shinpachi."

"With the way Tsukiko has been acting around him, can't say I'm surprised." Ryoko snorted. Katsumi had to agree. Tsukiko was normally the quiet one but she and Shinpachi just rubbed each other the wrong way, apparently. She felt sorry for Sanosuke and Yumi when they had gone on Patrol with them.

"So," Ryoko placed her hands on her hips. "What are we going to do?"

"Well, what I'm going to do, is drink," She opened up one of the bottles and took a drink. "And clean."

"Clean?" Ryoko sounded surprised as she took the bottle from the other woman. "But why?"

"Well, if you're fine with any food we eat being made here then that's your problem. I, on the other hand, refuse to be sentenced to some disease that I can catch from this."

"I second that." The two turned to find out that their friends had followed them; Asami and Fuyu must have been talking to Kondou still. Tsukiko moved further into the kitchen, taking a look herself. She frowned. "They have nothing to eat, either." She glanced at Chika. "Chika, you think you can sneak out into the city and buy some things."

"Depends," the other woman smiled. "What is it you want me to get?"

Katsumi, Yumi, and Ryoko smiled at eachother as Tsukiko made a list. The Scottish woman was a beast in the kitchen. This meant that they were gonna have a hell of a dinner tonight.

"I'll be back as soon as I can be." Chika nodded to them before disappearing down the hall again.

"Now," Tsukiko turned to the three women she was left with. "Let's get down to business. Katsumi, I want you…"

With four women cleaning it, the kitchen didn't last longer than an hour and they were soon sitting around on the new clean floors, drinking another bottle of Sake. The moment Tsukiko heard they might have been Shinpachi's she attacked them. Ryoko wore a large smile on her face. Spending time with the other women like this always made her smile, no matter what was going on. Though she hated it here in the Shinsengumi Base, there was no doubt in her mind she wouldn't want to spend it here with anyone else in the world.

It wasn't long after that when Chika returned to them. They were surprised to find Heisuke following after her with the ingredients she had gone to get in his hands.

The young man looked amazed at the kitchen. "Wow! I didn't think it could be possible! It had been dirty for so long!"

Ryoko laughed at him and stood to her feet to take the bags from him and set them on the counter. She still felt awkward around the men but she was growing used to the younger one, at least.

"What happened?" Tsukiko asked Chika as she stood herself.

"Nothing, really. Got out of the grounds pretty easily but Okita found me in the city. We're apparently not supposed to leave without one of them," She gave a smile. They already knew that. "But instead of helping me himself, he told Heisuke to do it."

"Well, you weren't expecting anything else, were you?" Katsumi laughed. "I can see Heisuke or Shinpachi or Sanosuke carrying food bags but Okita or Saito? Not at all. Hijikata, maybe, if he was drunk enough, but only if."

"Hijikata? Drunk?" Yumi raised a brow. "Hell would rain down on earth if that ever happened."

Heisuke laughed at her comment. "Hijikata's not that bad; you just have to get used to him." He glanced at the kitchen again. "So, what exactly are you guys planning on making?"

Ryoko gave him a grin as she shoved him to the hall again. "That's a surprise. You'll see at dinner tonight."

"Aww, that's not fair." The young Captain whined with a smile. "But I suppose I can wait."

"Toudou," Heisuke looked at Tsukiko as she addressed him. "Asami and Fuyu went to go talk to Kondou. Could you go find them and tell them where we're at?"

He nodded. "Sure, no problem!"

When he was gone, Ryoko closed the door with a sigh of relief. "Now, what are the plans, Tsukiko?"

"Ryoko, you and Chika are going to start the rice." A grin spread across Ryoko's face. She didn't like to brag, but she wasn't too bad at rice. If they had time, maybe she would make some Wagashi, too. "Yumi, I want you to make your sweet dumplings. Katsumi, you're going to help me with the fish."

Katsumi nodded and began to roll up her sleeves. "Hey…where are these cooks that the Shinsengumi are supposed to have? Cooks normally don't like others in their kitchens."

"It doesn't matter now," Tsukiko told her with a firm face. "The kitchen is ours for the night."

The five shared a smile behind the Scottish woman's back before setting to their duties. As the day continued, and Asami and Fuyu joined them, Ryoko found her previous thoughts to be true and expand even more. Cooking in the kitchen and laughing and talking with the other women made her feel like they were back at the dojo before they decided to travel. No worries of imprisonment here at the Shinsengumi Grounds, no thought of being stuck here in Kyoto…things felt…normal.

That evening, when they joined the Shinsengumi Captains for dinner, all of them looked proud. The men scattered around the table only had praises over the fish and rice and leeks and everything else that the women had made. The Wagashi that Fuyu and Ryoko made were a favorite, as were the sweet dumplings that Yumi had created. Katsumi and Tsukiko's fish was another favorite. It was easy to say that the men greatly enjoyed all that had been made and as compliments come too, Ryoko couldn't help but feel her face getting heated up. Watching Heisuke and Shinpachi fight over her pastries made her giggle.

"Hey, Asami," Yumi's voice was slow as she set her cup of tea down. "Are you going to tell us what Kondou said when you came to speak to him earlier?"

The men didn't seem to hear her question as they continued to talk amongst themselves (AKA, Heisuke still yelling at Shinpachi for stealing his food) and the group of women all turned to look at their leader. Ryoko had forgotten that Asami had even gone to see the Shinsengumi leader that afternoon.

Asami took a calm drink from her tea before slowly setting her own glass on the table. "The rumor of women warriors in the Shinsengumi have traveled fast and apparently many of the officials are not pleased. It is only because of Kondou that we have not been sentenced for treason."

And with that, the peace of dinner had been shattered.

"Treason?!" Katsumi's voice was loud, bringing the Captains attention to the women. "How can they even consider that?"

"You didn't think they'd just let us go with a slap on the wrists, did you?" Yumi asked calmly, sipping from her tea again. "This is a man's country, Katsumi."

"But-"

"Calm down, Katsumi," Tsukiko told her friend. "I don't like it any more than you do but women are just meant to be the playthings of men here."

"How can you say that after what we've been through?!" Katsumi growled. "We refused to be stepped on. We all joined Asami's dojo so we wouldn't be weak, so we wouldn't been looked down upon. We are some of the strongest people in the country and now you're saying we just sit here and waste away while doing nothing?"

"That's not what she said," Fuyu began but Katsumi stood to her feet.

"Well, that's what I heard. I won't do it! I am a samurai, woman or not, and I refuse to set my blade aside!"

As Katsumi fled from the room, Ryoko was still for a moment but the moment that she felt her shoulders begin to tremble she knew that she had to excuse herself.

"I…I won't do it either." Ryoko's voice shook as much as her body did. She silently cursed her weakness. "Never again will I fall victim to a man's thoughts or desires or anything that he wants!" She hurried from the room after Katsumi, leaving the other women in the room with them.

"I apologize," Asami told Kondou. "But I told you that they would not be pleased."

"I know," the man gave a sigh, hanging his head. "Give me time. Perhaps I can-"

"Don't bother," Tsukiko's voice cut the man off as she stood herself. Her anger was under control but her face was a cold as ever. "We can find our own path." She left the room as well, leaving an uneasy silence. It was soon after that the other women filed out in silence as well.

"Well, that was interesting," Okita smiled, taking another drink of his tea. That crooked smile was on his face.

"I feel sorry for them," Heisuke admitted a few minutes later. "Normally I don't like the thought of women being involved in battle but with them…Not many can defeat Furies, meaning their strength is exceptional. And that dojo of Asami's they always talk about kinda reminds me of what we used to have before the Shinsengumi, you know?"

"True," Hijikata agreed. "But the facts are facts."

 **As Ryoko fled from the room herself, she came to a stop around the corner.** She was trying to calm herself but it wasn't working. What Tsukiko had said, calling women the playthings of a man, it made her heart cry. All thoughts of what those men had done to her…she felt her memories coming back and the more she thought about it, the more she began to think about the Shinsengumi turning on them and attacking them like they had her all those years ago. She couldn't…she didn't…

Her feet took off again, her tears starting to swell in her eyes. She couldn't experience that again. She refused to be placed in that same catastrophe a second time. Her mind didn't know where she was fleeing too, but her body did. Yanking a door open, Ryoko stared into the room as Katsumi sat on her bed.

The other woman looked up. "Ryo, what's-" She was cut off when the younger woman dove to her, letting her tears break free as she felt the cloth of Katsumi's shirt on her face.

Katsumi stared at the younger woman in shock for a moment before a firm look passed over her face as she rubbed her back. "Don't cry, Ryoko. You know I don't like it when you cry."

"But-but, I-"

"It's okay. You have nothing to worry about, Ryoko. I won't let anything happen to you again. They won't lay a finger on you. They think they can scare us into submission, well, they've never dealt with the Okami Pack before. They don't know just how much we she-wolves can do."

Her words seemed to settle Ryoko down and the two of them sat there in silence for a while longer. When Chika joined them, the three had a small, quite talk before Ryoko excused herself to head to her own room to get some rest. She was sure that Fuyu was with her Aunt again so that meant the room was all to herself…

Or so she had thought.

"What are you doing here?"

Heisuke was sitting of the floor outside her room. It seemed that he had been there a while and had begun to doze off before her words caught him. "Ah, there you are!" He jumped up to his feet. "I didn't know where you had gone and so I decided to wait until you got back. I," He paused. "Were you crying?"

Ryoko turned her face away from him, a frown on her face. "What do you want, Heisuke?"

"I'm sorry about all this, Ryoko." The happiness in his voice had faded. "Sorry that you're stuck here with us like this. If I had a choice in the matter…" He seemed uneasy, talking about this and avoided her gaze.

Ryoko gave a silent sigh. "It's not…your fault. Not completely, anyway."

"Hey," He grunted, a small smile trying to lift the corners of his mouth again.

"It's late, Heisuke," Ryoko told him before the conversation could continue. "What was so important that you had to wait out her to tell me?"

"I just wanted to thank you for the dinner tonight. The others are too lazy to cook anything and I'm afraid that I burn things when I try and cook. I was really impressed with your Wagashi pastries. You didn't strike me as someone who liked to do that. Maybe, the next time you make them, maybe I can watch." That was not what Ryoko had been expecting to hear. He waited all this time to tell her that he liked her pastries? What could she really say to that?

"Uh…yeah. Sure, I guess."

"Awesome!" Heisuke smiled brightly. "I'll go so you can get some sleep now. I'll see you tomorrow. Also, no more crying, okay Ryoko? I don't like it when girls cry."

Ryoko blinked and watched as the young man moved down the hall to his own room. She was still confused on why he had just waited to tell her that. Placing a frown on her face, she fought to keep it there as she entered her room to get ready for bed but she couldn't help but let it rise into a small smile.

 **Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	5. Chapter 5

_**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/GAME!**_

 _ **Chapter Five**_

 _ **Your Own Path**_

 **The sound of clashes rang through the grounds.**

"Heisuke, are you even listening?"

More sounds of fighting.

The young man turned his head. "Huh?

A pause and heavy breathing.

"I knew it," Sanosuke sighed. "What are you daydreaming about?"

Another clash.

"I'm not daydreaming," Heisuke replied. "I'm thinking."

"Thinking? About what?"

"About that." As they turned the corner of the hall, Sanosuke and Heisuke traveled in on a strange scene.

The seven women of the Okami Pack were in the Courtyard before them, a set of the Shinsengumi gathered around and watching from the sides.

Sanosuke raised a brow at the sight of one of the Captains. "Hey, Saito, what's going on?"

The said Captain turned to find Heisuke and Sanosuke moving towards him. "Training." Was his simple answer.

"Training, huh?" Heisuke repeated, staring at the duo that were facing each other in the middle of the courtyard. It was Ryoko and Chika. Apparently, the women's lunch had expanded into a training session after having found some wooden swords. As Ryoko and Chika's match continued, the other women watched and gave tips. This completely reminded Heisuke of his time at Kondou's dojo. These women were extremely like them; in their passion for fighting, that is.

The smile he saw on Ryoko's face as she wiped sweat from her forehead as she talked to Chika about the battle made him smile himself. He had a flashback to the first training match he had with Okita for some reason, making the smile widen even more.

"A battle, huh?" Shinpachi's voice made Heisuke turn as the grinning man joined the group. "Come on, boys. Let's go show these ladies how a man fights."

"Shut up, Shin!" Heisuke snorted. "I bet you anything that Tsukiko could knock you on your ass."

The older man whipped around in anger. "You wanna say that again, Toudou?!"

"Now, now," Sanosuke tried to calm them down, not wanting to deal with their arguments right now. "I'm sure the ladies wouldn't have a problem with us joining them, would you, Yumi?"

The blonde woman in question raised her head at her name. She wore a blank face for a moment before lowering her head back down to the papers in her lap. "Do as you like."

Saito watched for a moment longer as the others joined the ladies in their little group, a few other men of the Shinsengumi joining them around the courtyard in interest, and he turned to leave.

"Katsumi, where are you going?" He paused and turned back to find that Katsumi had chosen to stand up and was leaving the courtyard as well.

"Eh, I've already had my fun for the day. I'm going to go…do something else. Don't worry Fuyu. If these guys cheat just let me know; I'll take care of them."

Fuyu laughed at her friend. "I have no worries on that." They all watched as, Ryoko and Chika pausing for a break, the other woman left. "I wonder what's wrong."

"What's wrong?" Tsukiko snorted. "She's miserable, just like the rest of us are."

"Yeah," Ryoko sighed. "But Katsumi is…" She couldn't place her feelings into words at the moment. What could she say? Tsukiko had spoken the truth.

"She will be fine." Everyone turned to look at Asami as she spoke quietly. "Katsumi will not be held for much longer. She cannot be contained; she's like the wind. It will always cut its path when it's ready to continue on its journey."

"I guess you're right," Chika waved a hand. "I'd just hate to be there when the storm hits." The other women laughed.

Ryoko wore another smile on her face. Asami's words had been true. Katsumi really was like the wind and the more that she thought about it, the more she believed it to be true.

"So, you wanna go another round?" Chika grinned.

Ryoko opened her mouth to answer but Fuyu beat her to it. "No, I wanna fight Tsukiko!"

"Why? You'll just lose."

"That's not the point!" The young woman growled.

"Then what is?"

Ryoko shook her head and dropped the wooden blade to the ground before heading towards the girls again. She would have sat down but Yumi stood up. Having caught her gaze, the older woman gave a soft jerk of her head, telling Ryoko to follow her as she turned to move from the courtyard. Ryoko didn't say a word as she slipped off after her. Katsumi may have been her favorite of the group but Yumi and Tsukiko were in a tie for a close second.

She followed Yumi down the hall until they reached the room that she and Tsukiko shared. The older woman gave a sigh before sitting down, her legs hanging over the edge of the path.

"Is something wrong?" Ryoko asked, taking a seat beside her.

"No, not really. I just didn't feel like sitting there and listening to Tsukiko and Nagakura arguing. Besides…I'm just waiting like the rest of us."

Ryoko understood. "We could just leave, you know." She began. "The seven of us could escape."

"And risk getting hurt or even dying? No thanks," Yumi replied. "The stories of the Shinsengumi travel far. Their men might be fools but the Captains aren't."

Ryoko raised a brow. "I haven't heard stories of them."

"That's because you don't listen," Yumi replied. "If it doesn't interest Katsumi, it doesn't interest you either." Ryoko hung her head as a flush crept up her cheeks. "I'm not trying to embarrass or tease you, Ryo."

"I know you're not, Yumi, but still…"

Yumi took a silent breath. "You, of all people, have no need to be ashamed of being the way you are. I understand that you took to Katsumi like fire does to trees, but you cannot keep holding to her like you do. It is like Asami said. Katsumi is like the wind and will eventually flutter off on her own. It may happen soon, or it may not, but you have to strengthen yourself to be ready for when it does, Ryoko," Yumi gave a grin to the younger woman. "I'm not telling you to stop being her friend. I'm just telling you to grow a backbone and stand on your own two feet."

Ryoko closed her eyes. "After what…how can I do that? How can I be like you and the others, Yumi?"

The other woman continued to grin. "The only one that can answer that is you, Ryo. You must find your answer. Your own path."

~My own path...~

The thought of that scared her more than anything. Would she ever be able to do it?

"I had wondered where the two of you had slipped off to," The women turned to see Sanosuke walking up behind them. "Why not stick around?"

"And listen to Nagakura and Tsukiko some more? No thanks," Yumi snorted, crossing her arms as the redhead took a seat on her other side.

"Same here," Ryoko turned to see that Heisuke had followed after them as well and sat beside her barren side. Heisuke looked at her. "But why did you leave? I was hoping that you would see me fight!"

She looked confused. "But why?"

Heisuke flushed. "Well, uh…we…you…we're close in age and I wanted you to see that you're not the only one good at this age, you know?" He then pulled a face and whacked himself in the head.

Ryoko just stared at him. "You're a Captain of the Shinsengumi at this young age; I need no proof to know you can fight."

Heisuke gave a sigh and crossed his arms behind his head. "No, I suppose not, huh?"

Yumi gave a laugh and gave her friend a soft shove. "Be nice, Ryo."

Sanosuke gave a laugh. "Let's go get a drink, shall we?" He asked the woman beside him.

"That sounds pretty good right about now. And with dinner right around the corner, what could be better?" Yumi glanced at Ryoko. "Think about what I said, Ryo." She stood up with the redhead beside her.

Ryoko opened her mouth to say something to Yumi to keep the other woman from leaving her here with Heisuke, but she didn't want to be rude. Yumi had wanted a drink with Sanosuke since they met him at that bar on their first day in Kyoto. Besides, Heisuke wasn't that bad. She didn't trust him, but that didn't mean she should be rude to him.

"It makes me really mad that you guys are stuck here." The young man told her.

"You're not the only one," She grunted, crossing her arms.

"You know, I was thinking," Heisuke began, glancing over her words. "Maybe next time I go out into the city you'd like to come with me?"

Ryoko looked at him with a raised brow. "And where would you be going?"

"I'm not sure; you can pick. I'll just follow you. You can go anywhere you'd like."

"You sure about that? I might leave Kyoto."

The young man gave a frown. "That wouldn't be a good idea. You wouldn't want to get yourself and the others in trouble, would you?"

Ryoko ignored his last comment. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. Asami and the others would be really mad if I left without them."

Heisuke was silent for a moment before voicing a question that had been bothering him for a while. "I've seen some of your skills," He began. "I know that it wasn't much, but I know that you women would be able to sneak out of here or beat your way out. Why haven't you tried?"

"We could try," Ryoko replied. "And I would like to say that you and your friends would have nothing against us, but I don't want to risk you or your men killing any of the others. That, and Asami wouldn't like to get the townspeople involved. Deny it, but we all know that it would happen. Asami told us to bide our time, despite how much we dislike it, and so I shall do what my leader tells us to do."

"Lady Asami is a smart woman." Heisuke smiled.

Ryoko grinned in agreement. "The smartest that I know. That's why we follow her."

"I'm glad that you do. If you didn't, you might not have ever made it here to Kyoto." Heisuke's words pulled a frown to Ryoko's face as the young man stood up. "Oh, here! Before I forget," He pulled out a small, thin box. "I got you something."

"For me?" Ryoko raised a brow. "For what?"

"Take it as an apology for what you're going through because of the Shinsengumi. I'd like to let you guys leave and continue on your journey but what Boss says goes, you know?" Heisuke shoved the box in her hands before she could say anything. "And you can't refuse it either." He began to back away. "I'll see you at dinner, okay?"

Ryoko stared after him in confusion for a little while longer before turning to the small box in her hands. Not sure why he would get her anything, she lifted the lid and a small gasp escaped her throat. It was that hairpin she saw in the streets on their first day out on Patrol together. The Crescent Moon and the rabbit.

~He bought this…for me?~ She stared at it in shock. ~But why?~

 **Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	6. Chapter 6

_**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/GAME!**_

 _ **Chapter Six**_

 _ **Stay Calm**_

" **I can't stand him!"**

"I know you can't."

"He treats me like a little kid."

"You are a little kid."

"I'm 23! I'm older than you are!"

"Yes but you also try to pull pranks on him."

"That was just once!"

"He catches you before you can finish the other ones."

"Does not! Those were just misunderstandings!"

"He caught you sticking dead snakes in his futon sheets."

"Okay, there was that one!"

"And then there was you trying to slip into his room at night to cut his hair off."

"Well that was payback for him being an ass to me at dinner.

"And then that time on his horse-"

"All right, Ryoko, all right!" Fuyu cried, tossing herself down on her bed and crossing her arms as she glared at the ceiling. "I get your point." She gave a sigh. "I just really don't like him."

Ryoko gave a small smile. They were talking about Toshizo Hijikata. Since they had first arrived and were taken onto the grounds of the Shinsengumi, Hijikata has pretty much been Fuyu's babysitter; or so the other captains liked to say to tease their friend. Ryoko liked Hijikata, he was straight to the point with everything that he did, but he didn't scare her and she appreciated that the most.

"I'm going to go get something to eat from Daiki." Ryoko told the other girl. "Do you want me to bring you back anything?"

"No," Fuyu shook her head. "I'm not very hungry."

Ryoko felt a little bad about leaving Fuyu there by herself but she was tired of this conversation. They've talked about it several times. It was a daily conversation with Fuyu almost.

Daiki was a member of the Shinsengumi that had been off on a trip to visit his family for the summer. He was the cook of the Shinsengumi and the boss of the kitchen that the Okami pack had cleaned and took as their own about a month ago. There was a bit of a misunderstanding when Daiki had returned, like him thinking that the seven women were women that Shinpachi and the others had brought back to sleep with, but that was quickly cleared up and Daiki had turned into a good friend of the women. Asami could be found often in his kitchen.

Isami and a few others had left the grounds, leaving the Okami pack still locked inside the gates about two months ago. They had been locked inside a cage and it was driving them all insane. Five months they had been there and two of those they hadn't been allowed off of Shinsengumi grounds without an escort.

If Ryoko had to be honest, she would have to say that most of the Shinsengumi weren't bad. It didn't take long for them to realize that it wasn't a good idea to mess with the group of women that was currently shoved into their lifestyles. And the Captains of the Squads weren't too bad. She found herself liking Harada and Shinpachi a bit. Whenever she ran into Heisuke on the grounds the two of them were normally with him, laughing and making jokes. Yumi was normally with them when they were drinking, on grounds or not, and Ryoko and Heisuke had even joined them at a bar a few times. Ryoko had taken to Yumi's words and tried to start…making her own path but every time she felt herself pulling from Katsumi the nightmares would start. Fuyu had awoken her up several times the last few weeks due to the cries and distress she seemed to fall into. It all made her pull back into her shell, though she tried to hide it.

Winter was going to begin soon. That was her least favorite time of year. Katsumi always disappeared to visit her family and it also brought closer the date of when Ryoko joined the Okami pack; the worst and best day of her life.

Thankfully though, when Isami and his men returned, the Okami pack had been allowed to join the Captains on their rounds around the city again, giving them more freedom than they had had for the last few weeks. Heisuke had tried to take Ryoko places with him while they still weren't allowed outside by themselves, but…

She gave a sigh; all thoughts of Heisuke Toudou made Ryoko sigh. He was cheerful; too cheerful for her. Quick with a grin, Heisuke jumped into things without giving it a good thought; it explained on why he and Shinpachi got along really well though. Ever since he had given her that hairpin the young man always tried to make her smile and laugh. He was trying hard for something; she just didn't know what it was.

That hairpin; that was a real shocker. She had liked it, wanted it when she saw it on that vendor's table, but it was too expensive. For him to buy it for her…it was sweet of him.

Trying to pull her mind off of Heisuke, Ryoko turned her head to the garden where she was sure that Chika and Yumi would be but neither of them was. Instead there was someone else waiting on her there.

It was Saito. She watched him for a moment as he seemed to be staring up at the tree above him. The Cherry blossoms were beginning to wilt and fall off as winter came closer and closer; the trees were starting to get ready. Watching Saito stand there in silence and watched the flowers, for some reason, brought a smile to Ryoko's face. She hadn't really talked to this man before, despite him being Katsumi's partner. Maybe a few words here and there but nothing too…extravagant.

"Ah, Mr. Saito," She greeted the quiet man, walking out to join him. She didn't know why, normally she would have just walked past him, but her body moved on its own. He glanced from the tree he had been staring at and turned to her. "Not on Patrol today?"

"I was just about to leave," He glanced back to the tree.

Ryoko stared at him for a few moments longer. He was a reserved, solitary man, it seemed. Something told her he was loyal, too. She waited for him to walk off, but he just continued to stare at the tree. "What are you doing?" She asked him.

He was silent at first before he quietly answered. "Watching the wind."

"Hmm." She turned back to the tree herself and watched as a light breeze took some of the cherry blossoms off and they floated through the air before falling to the ground. As she stood there beside the man, watching the leaves blow with the wind with him, a thought came to her mind. It was something that Asami had told them a few days ago with Isami had returned from the capital.

 _Asami was silent for a moment. "Isami told me that one of his men came to him last week, telling him to let us go."_

" _Let us go? Really?" Ryoko sounded surprised. "Which one did that?"_

" _He would not say." Asami shook her head. "That next morning, Isami left to go argue on our behalf."_

" _But why?" Yumi was clearly surprised, as were the rest of them. "Why would he do that?"_

" _It seems that Kondou is a gentleman, not a beast when it comes to women," Tsukiko answered her. "What did he say to you?"_

" _We still cannot leave the Shinsengumi." Asami answered her. Katsumi's smile fell and she felt her anger flaring up again._

" _Well, that's not surprising," Chika crossed her arms, the mood of the room fouling._

" _So, that's it?" Fuyu asked. "We're just supposed to stay here, wasting away?"_

" _That's not what he told me." Everyone seemed to lean in further to hear it. "We cannot leave the Shinsengumi but we have been given permission to rejoin the ranks, as long as we try not to bring too much attention to us."_

She wore a frown on her face for a moment. The man had gone to talk to Isami the day that the group was having their little sword fights in the garden. It was the day that Asami had compared Katsumi to the wind, wasn't it?

"It was you, wasn't it?" She asked. Saito glanced at her, that readless look on his face. "You were the one that went to Isami and talked to him about us being locked up in here, aren't you?" Saito just stared at her for a moment. "Why?"

"I have a run to make with Yamaguchi," Saito told her, turning to leave the garden.

"Of course," Ryoko smiled at the man. "Try and keep her cheerful, will you? Winter is starting and she tends to dislike it." Saito looked back at her, like he was about to make a comment, but he stopped and turned to leave her in the garden.

She took back what she had said earlier. She liked Saito, too.

The rest of the day went by smoothly. Today was her and Heisuke's day off so she spent it in the kitchen with Daiki and Asami until things were brought together for dinner. Everyone was there but a few of them and they were about to begin when Sannan threw the doors open.

Sannan Keisuke, was the 2nd Vice Commander of the Shinsengumi, under Toshizo. In his middle twenties at 5'7' with long, dark brown hair and hazel eyes with glasses, the man seemed to be in a serious mood as he looked at the men around the table.

"We have a problem!"

"Come on, Sannan," Shinpachi grinned. "There's enough for us all here; no problem at all!"

"What is it?" Hijikata asked, a serious look on his face.

"Yamaguchi just took off. Yumi had commented on the bandits that you had seen in the Inn," Sannan told Sanosuke.

"Bandits?" Hijikata glanced at the redhead.

"There were a few members of the Bandits of Orgo causing problems earlier," Harada answered. "But why would that make Katsumi-"

"Where did she go?" Asami called to the man.

"I'm sure she left the compound." Sannan answered. "Yumi took off after her."

"Let's go!" Fuyu jumped to her feet. "We can't just let them run off! Katsumi can easily give Yumi the slip!"

Ryoko was the first out of the dining hall. It turned into a huge search party all over Kyoto but they couldn't find Katsumi anywhere! They found Yumi instead, though.

"Katsumi ran off after I told her about the men at the Inn," Yumi told them when the women finally came to a pause in the center of the city; it was close to where they first meet those white-haired freaks and taken captive by the Shinsengumi. "The Bandits of Orgo. She seems to have heard of them."

"What are bandits doing here in Kyoto?" Tsukiko asked.

"It's not a whole pack of them, just about four. If Sanosuke hadn't of seen the symbol on one the men then we wouldn't have known."

"Could it have something to do with her past?" Yumi wondered aloud.

"Like what?" Chika asked. "She was a young teen when she came to the Okami pack."

"It doesn't matter how old she was," Tsukiko hissed at her.

"Y-yeah," Chika silently cursed herself as she shot Ryoko and side glance.

Ryoko ignored it, her eyes still searching for Katsumi. "We have to continue looking for her. We can't stop! She could be in trouble!"

"Ryo," Asami turned to the younger woman. "Go back to the Inn and check it over again. If it's the Orgo Bandits that she's after then that's where she'll be."

Ryoko nodded and took off, not even waiting to hear what the others were going to do. She just wanted to find Katsumi quickly and make sure that everything was okay. Unfortunately it wasn't Katsumi that she found there.

"Heisuke!" She cried out, coming to a stop. "Did you find her?"

The young man turned from the Inn that he had been staring at and saw her. "No," He shook his head. "I guess you haven't either." He took another look at her. "You look exhausted. You should head back to the compound. You're going to run yourself into the ground just searching for her."

"I can't. I have to find her!" Ryoko told him. "She could be hurt or even worse! Those bandits…they could be…they could be-!" She didn't want to think about what those men could be doing to Katsumi.

"Ito!" Heisuke grabbed her arms and pulled her closer to him; his grip was firm but the shock of him actually grabbing her froze her. "Calm down and listen to me. Yamaguchi is fine. She's a smart, strong woman. There's nothing wrong here. She just ran off to cool down. If she was going to attack the men in the inn then she already would have." He paused, waiting for the woman to reply and gave a silent sight of relief when she just closed her eyes. "Go back to the Compound. If she doesn't return by morning, I will bring you out here and we will search until we find her; all day if we have to." Ryoko looked like she wanted to reply but he cut her off before she could. "Please, Ryoko."

"Fine," She finally gave into the young man. "But if she's not there in the morning, I will be wanting to look for her!"

Heisuke nodded to her. "Go back. I'll go and grab the others."

Ryoko opened her mouth, wanting to reply back to him, but stayed silent as she moved away towards the Shinsengumi Compound. Heisuke watched after her for a moment, glanced back at the Inn, before turning to move down the street. Sanosuke wasn't too far away from him.

"I sent Ryoko back to the base," He told his friend. "We don't need to worry about Katsumi anymore. We can grab the others, too."

"Did you find her?" Sanosuke asked him.

"No, not me. I watched Saito find her," Heisuke told the redhead. "She's on top of the Inn. I'm not sure what she's doing, but she seems to be waiting until the men fall asleep. Saito will keep her from doing anything."

"That's a relief," Sanosuke sighed. "You didn't tell anyone else about her being on the roof, did you?"

"Of course not. If I had, Ryoko would have caused an uproar." Heisuke closed his eyes. "Saito can take care of her. We shouldn't worry."

"I agree." Sanosuke tilted his head back to stare at the sky for a moment. "These women are beginning to be a bit too much, don't you think?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, ever since they've arrived there have been rumors in the city and in the other men. You have no idea how many times I've heard about my men wanting to 'have fun' with the 'Okami Pack'" He hissed the name.

Heisuke pulled a surprised look at the man beside him. "What's going on, Sanosuke? What's wrong? You normally don't have problems with talking about things like that with the others."

"I don't know," Sanosuke kicked at the ground. "I'm just tired, I guess. Come on," He slung an arm around Heisuke's shoulders. "Let's go find the others and get back to the base. I'm starving."

Heisuke began to walk beside his friend but his thoughts kept roaming. What exactly was it that made Ryoko attach herself to Katsumi like she was? She would do anything for that woman and not ask questions at all. He knew that it wasn't his place to ask but he wanted to know; and he swore to himself that he was going to find that answer. He just had to make the right step; and befriending Ryoko was the way to go.

 **Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	7. Chapter 7

_**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/GAME!**_

 _ **Chapter Seven**_

 _ **Breaking the Shell**_

 _ **Chapter Seven**_

 _ **Breaking the Shell**_

 **Winter had begun; and Katsumi had left.** She had gone to Kondou and asked for permission to go Edo to visit her family. Kondou happily agreed, as long as she would travel with Saito and his men. The Shinsengumi apparently had some type of business to take care of there as well. It made Ryoko a little upset that Saito would get the chance to meet Katsumi's family before any of the Okami Pack could but there was nothing that she could do about that. She had tried to convince Katsumi to let her go as well but in the end she had failed.

" _ **Be sure to be careful, Katsumi.**_ _You will be with a bunch of men this time instead of on your own!" Chika teased her friend the next morning. The members of the Okami Pack had been up all night, waiting for the group to leave that next morning. Now they all stood at the gate as Saito and his men got their things together._

" _Now, now," Yumi chuckled. "Saito's the gentleman of the Shinsengumi. He won't let anything happen to Katsumi nor try anything on her."_

" _Yumi's right," Tsukiko nodded. "Katsumi will be fine." She glanced at her friend. "Right?"_

 _Katsumi gave a laugh, scratching the back of her head. "You know me."_

" _That's why she's worried." Fuyu teased. She dodged a kick from Katsumi._

" _I wish I could go with you," Ryoko frowned, glancing down at her feet. "I hate it when you leave."_

 _Katsumi gave a small smile. Every one of the Okami Pack knew that Ryoko was attached to Katsumi more than Fuyu was to Asami. She placed a hand on the younger one's head. "Don't worry, Ryoko. I'll be back sooner than you think. And I'll be fine. Aren't I always?"_

" _But…why can't I go with you?" Ryoko asked her. "I wanna meet your brothers too, you know. We all do!"_

" _Ryoko," Chika locked her arm around her neck. "It's a family gathering. It's a personal thing. Besides, after we leave the Shinsengumi and get to traveling again, I have no doubt in my mind that we'll run into one of her brothers and you can meet them then, all right?"_

 _Ryoko hung her head. "Y-yeah…"_

" _And if you run into any trouble," Yumi locked her fist and held her arm up. "Give them hell, compliments of the Okami Pack."_

 _Katsumi gave a huge grin and copied her movement, bumping their arms together. "You got it."_

" _Yamaguchi," They turned to see that Saito had called for her, his men on the move as the sun could be seen rising in the horizon._

 _Pulling her jacket tighter around her, she gave each of the girls another hug and turned to hurry after the men._

" _Katsumi," Asami's voice caught her and she turned to the woman again. "Séjour averti. Dièse de séjour. Revenez à nous indemnes."_

 _Katsumi pulled a happy face and gave a smile and a wave. "Always, Asami. Always!" She turned and hurried after Saito and the others as the women continued to call out their goodbyes. The cold wind hit her face as more snow began to fall as she caught up to Saito._

 _ **Stay Aware. Stay Sharp. Return to us unharmed.**_

Heisuke had been glad that she hadn't gone with them and for the last week been making lunches and snacks for her to enjoy while they ran their missions through Kyoto. Daiki had taught him a bit on how to make some pretty good treats.

"How long are you going to be doing this?" Daiki asked, watching as Heisuke made some Dango.

"Until Ryoko feels at home here. Or at least safe." The young man replied with a smile and a look of determination on his face.

Daiki gave a small smile. "You're too nice, Heisuke. I can't believe that you're a captain here. No, scratch that, I can't believe you're a warrior at all."

The young man gave a chuckle. "That's how I surprise the enemy!"

Daiki shook his head and turned back to his own food preparation. Daiki was in his middle twenties with long brown hair and eyes dressed in light green and white. He had pulled is long hair on top of his head, much like Heisuke's, to keep it out of the food he was preparing.

"There we go," Heisuke grinned a short while later. "They are complete!"

Daiki turned to look at his handy work and let out a huge laugh. "That's what you're going to give her?"

"Shut it, Daiki! We can't all be chefs like you!"

"There's a difference between being a chef and being able to make good Dango, Toudou."

Heisuke began to shout at the other man, a wrestle about to break out, when they sound of chuckles stopped them. "I think they're adorable,"

They both turned to see that Asami had joined them in the kitchen; again. Heisuke had seen Asami in here several times since Daiki had come back, she was a delightful woman to talk to (she was a good listener) and a really sweet woman. She didn't seem like a fighter but when he thought that, Heisuke could always see a gleam in her eye, or in the way she used a knife in her hand while cooking, that she truly was.

"Back again, eh Kimura?" Daiki asked, turning back to his counter.

"Of course," She nodded. "The smell and feel of a kitchen clears my head; helps me relive my past without any problems."

"Well isn't that nice?" He grunted.

Asami gave a grin as she took a seat at the table. "But of course, you're a wonderful person to talk to as well, Daiki. I enjoy the conversations that we have."

"Well good," Daiki shot a grin. "Talking to you is like talking to my mother again." He then pulled a face. "Not that you're old enough to be my mother or anything."

"Don't worry," Asami told him. "Besides, we've had this conversation before, haven't we? Age talk won't offend me-"

"'Because I'll never guess you're age', yeah, yeah, I know."

Asami continued to smile as she turned back to the other man. "For Ryoko again, hmm?"

"Yep," Heisuke nodded with a smile. He had placed the Dango in a small box but pulled a few out for the woman before him. "Tell me what you think; honestly."

Asami took a bite and was silent for a moment before she continued to smile. "Much better than your last ones, Toudou. Much better." He grinned, pleased, and began to stand up. "I'm afraid that Ryoko's not on the grounds at the moment, though."

He paused in his movements. "What? But why not?"

"Fuyu told me that she left at dawn to go on a walk. She seems to not have returned yet."

"Why does she always do that?" Heisuke pondered.

The woman gave another soft smile; Toudou was adorable. "I'm sure she's by the lake," She told him. "During the winter we normally find her around frozen water." Heisuke gave her a quick thank you before taking off.

"Why _does_ she always do that?" Daiki re-asked Heisuke's question. "It's like she's trying to hide. You and the others aren't so afraid of us."

"Everyone has their own thoughts and fears, Daiki, and it would be rude of me to reveal Ryoko's to you. If you're that interested in them, then ask her yourself."

He was silent for a moment before shrugging his shoulders. "Eh, let Heisuke have his fun. Besides, she's not my type." He pulled another of his grins. "Now Yumi, on the other hand, that's one that I would LOVE to get to know better."

Asami couldn't help but smile as she rolled her eyes. "Men."

 **Heisuke wore a large smile as he left the compound.** He had hurried to his room to grab a jacket and a blanket to take with him. If Ryoko had been out there since dawn then she had to be cold.

There was only one lake that Heisuke could think of. It was a little ways outside of Kyoto. He wasn't sure that you could call it a like due to its size; maybe a pond would be a better use of words, but when he reached it he was happy to see that his thoughts had been true.

Ryoko was standing there on top of the frozen water, sliding across on her feet. He had opened his mouth to make a comment but had paused at the smile on her face. She looked like she was having fun. He stood there for a few moments, watching her as she slid across the ice but he watched as she slipped and fell on her stomach before sliding right into the bank of snow.

"Ah!" Heisuke took off as fast as he could through the snow towards her. "Ryoko! Are you all right?!" He fell to his knees to dig the woman out but she popped her head out, laughing with a huge smile. "God, don't do that to me."

"Sorry Heisuke," She smiled at him. "But that's what you get for just standing there and staring at me!"

Heisuke flushed. "Well, I'd never seen someone willingly slid across a frozen pond before."

"That's because you don't know how to have fun," She told him, standing up. "Here," Ryoko held a hand out to the young man. Heisuke looked worried for a moment before taking it and slowly walking out onto the ice, leaving the blanket and the box of Dango on the bank. "Katsumi taught me this. We always do it when it's winter; it's more fun when you're out with friends."

Heisuke gave a smile and clung to Ryoko's hand as he tried to slide swiftly across the ice like she had been; it didn't work too well and he ended up pulling her down with him. It broke them out into laughter and talk as they continued to try. Heisuke was happy that he had decided to come and look for Ryoko today. The Okami Pack had been here for nearly six months and though he had tried, Ryoko was still a tight little shell around the Shinsengumi. It was on special occasions like this that Heisuke was able to see a different side of Ryoko. It made him smile that she was beginning to come out of her shell little by little and it made him even happier that he was there to see it, but he knew that she was still on guard. It was going to take a little longer but he planned to do it.

"More Dango, Heisuke?" Ryoko commented as they sat on the blanket that he had brought with him.

"Well, I figured that you would be hungry." He leaned back on the blanket and crossed his arms behind his head, staring up at the sky. He could see clouds moving in from the west; there was going to be a storm later.

"Oh, these are really good, Heisuke!" Ryoko smiled. "So much better than last week's! You're getting really good at this!"

"Well, I'm glad you like them!" He grinned. "Daiki says that I should try something else but I'm not sure what you would like."

"Well, if you'd like, I could show you how to make some Daifuku one day. Or maybe some Botamochi."

Heisuke looked at her. "Do you know how to make Yatsuhashi?"

He watched as Ryoko lowered her head. "I've tried it, but Chika's the best at that."

"Well then, next week, let's try and make it together. It can't be that hard! What do you say?"

Ryoko turned and glanced at him, one of the Dango sticks hanging from her mouth as she spoke around it. "Really? You wouldn't mind spending all day in a kitchen cooking?"

"With you? Of course not! I'll talk to Daiki about it!" He smiled.

Ryoko turned her head back around, a frown on her face for a moment. Heisuke watched her for a moment before his eyes fell on the back of her jacket. It was the Okami Jacket. All seven of the women had them, and though they had been forced to wear the Shinsengumi Haori out on patrol, he saw them wear those most of the time everywhere else. It was a long, black, southern-style jacket like the rest of the clothes that they wore. On the back it held the design of white flames and furious looking wolf on the back. It had to be custom-made because he had never seen them anywhere before.

The stories said that the Okami Pack was a group of mercenaries from the south that had been traveling all over Japan, taking on missions and tasks. It had been said that the Pack was a group of ex-warriors but for it turn out to be women, that shocked the entire group of the Shinsengumi.

"Here," Heisuke pulled himself out of his thoughts to find that Ryoko had turned to him, holding a stick over his mouth. "Open up and eat."

"I can feed mys-" He had to stop talking as she shoved the sweets into his mouth. She laughed as he pushed himself up with one arm and pulled the stick out. He shot her a glare before continuing to eat the sweets. "I should have brought tea." He commented moments later.

"Yes, you should have," Ryoko grinned as she stood up. "But if we leave now and head back to the base, then we can get some," She held her hand out to him. "Right?"

Heisuke was silent for a moment before taking it and letting her pull him up. "Yeah." He grabbed the blanket and shook off the snow before wrapping it around her shoulders and beginning to lead the way back to the city. Ryoko looked surprised before grabbing the cloth and holding it closed around her body. "Say," Heisuke's voice made her look over at him. "A few of us are going out for some drinks tomorrow night. I know that Yumi and Chika are going to join us, so why don't you come along? We'd have to go there right after our rounds tomorrow but it'll be fun. It'll keep you out of the compound for a while longer, you know?"

"But why invite me?" Ryoko asked him.

"Well, why not?" Heisuke replied. "You're fun to be around; when you actually talk." He teased.

Ryoko gave him a look and turned her nose. "If that's the way you want to be, then no."

"Aww, come on! Please?"

Glancing back at him, she gave a flush. Heisuke had clapped his hands together and closed his eyes, tilting his head to the side. He looked adorable. "Fine," Ryoko told him. "But if I don't like it, I'm going home."

She froze for a moment. Home. She had just referred to the Shinsengumi base as her home. Why…why did that frighten her?

 **Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	8. Chapter 8

_**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/GAME!**_

 _ **Chapter Eight**_

 _ **Fear in the Streets**_

" **Do my eyes deceive me?** Has little Ryo decided to venture out of the compound and join us normal ones?"

Ryoko gave a glare at the woman that was looking back at her. "There is nothing normal about you, Yumi."

"True," The woman smiled. "I've heard that Heisuke has been making you sweets."

"Yeah, so?"

"Aww, so cute," Chika teased her friend as the three of them moved down the street. The others had gone ahead and left without them as Yumi and Chika had been talking to Asami; Ryoko had waited on them. "Little Ryo's made a friend. About time, too."

"Yeah, it only took six months."

"You guys suck," Ryoko hung her head.

"Oh, come on, Ryoko," Yumi slung her arm around her shoulders. "You know we love you."

"Well you got a funny way of showing it," She replied, crossing her arms.

"But you wouldn't have us any other way, would you?" Yumi's words made Ryoko smile.

"No, no I wouldn't."

Yumi knew where to meet the guys and the four of them were waiting there happily, already starting in on the food and the drinks.

"What, did Tsukiko not want to join us tonight?" Sanosuke asked as the three women took their seats.

"No," Chika shook her head. "She decided to have dinner with Asami and Fuyu tonight."

"Don't lie now, Chika," Yumi decided to grin. "Her words were, and I quote – 'I have to deal with Shinpachi's face all day, why should I let it ruin my appetite at dinner.'"

Ryoko tried to hide her laughter; she knew Tsukiko. There was no way her words were as nice as that.

Shinpachi pulled a face as he tossed a drink back. "Right back at her. God, I can't stand that woman!"

"But why?" Heisuke asked his friend. "I think she's nice."

"Tsukiko? Nice?" Yumi almost spit her drink out. "She's not nice at all; even to us. She's got horrid remarks for all of us, save for Asami."

"She's tough, but she cares for all of you," Okita commented from his seat with a grin. "She's teaching you how to deal with people outside of your little pack."

"Oh?" Chika raised a brow. "And how do you know?"

"If you talk to her like I do then you'd find out."

"You talk to her?" Sanosuke raised his own brow.

"Yes. She's a delectable woman so why wouldn't I?"

Chika let her mouth drop open, Shinpachi mimicking her look from across the table.

"Wow," Yumi took another drink. "I never would have thought that Tsukiko would like something like you, Souji."

"Oh, don't mistaken my words. I said I would like to, but I'm afraid that Lady Hayashi refused; in a rather violent way as well," Okita rubbed his stomach.

"Oh, so that's why you had that huge bruise," Heisuke chuckled. "Now it all makes sense!"

"You're crazy," Shinpachi shook his head, returning to his food. "She's a monster!"

"She can be," Yumi nodded. "But she's family."

"Do you know why Tsukiko dislikes Shinpachi so much?"

Ryoko turned to see that Heisuke was talking to her. She shook her head. "I'm not sure. There could be many reasons. All things could add up to it. Us being forced in the Shinsengumi, her being forced to be that man's partner. Tsukiko keeps everything contained. Asami is the only one that could answer that question outside of Tsukiko herself."

Heisuke looked thoughtful. "Asami seems to be able to do that with all of you," He replied. "You all trust her."

"Of course we do," Ryoko smiled. "She saved us all."

~No,~ Ryoko corrected herself as she watched Yumi and Chika argue and laugh with the other. ~I guess you could say that we saved each other.~

The young woman was glad that she had decided to join them that night. As the drinking and eating continued the laughter and the fun just got better and better and she constantly found herself at a loss of breath and had to beg the others to stop before she died. As Sanosuke got up and decided to dance, Ryoko noticed that Okita had receded to his food and was staring at his plate with a frown. She turned to him.

"Is something wrong?"

He blinked and glanced up at her, his normal smirk returning to his face. "Of course not. Why ask?"

"Lying isn't a very becoming look on you, you know." She told him as the laughter continued on behind them. "Are you getting tired? Do you want to go to bed?"

He shook his head. "You women just don't give up, do you?"

"No, not until you give me the truth." She gave him another look. "Are you sick? If you are it would be a bad idea for you to walk home in the rain." Okita glanced at the window; he hadn't even noticed. It made him frown. "If you're sick then walking in the rain will just make it worse." She then gave her own frown. "Which means it's going to be cold."

She didn't look pleased about that and it made the man chuckle. "If it bothers you that much," Okita leaned in close to her; much too close. "Then I can keep you warm."

Ryoko felt her heart panic and shoved Okita away. Her push knocked him into his little table, knocking the food and drink over, bringing everyone's attention to the startled man and the young woman that was crawling backwards from him.

Okita stared at her in shock for a moment before a smirk returned to his face.

"It was just a joke, Ito. You take things much too seriously."

His words fell on deaf ears, though. She didn't see the others anymore. All she saw were those men! The room began to turn dark and she could hear their voices.

"Ryoko," Chika moved towards the other woman. "What's wrong?"

"I, I have to go." She shrugged the woman's hand off of her shoulder and took off from the room.

"What did you do to her, Okita?" Sanosuke asked.

"I just meant it as a joke," Was the other man's answer. "I didn't mean to scare her."

"Will she be alright on her own?" Chika glanced at Yumi.

"She'll be fine," Was the answer. "She just needs to calm down."

"Why did she react that way?" Heisuke asked the two of them.

Yumi just gave a smile as Chika took a drink from her cup. Sanosuke, realizing that it was a question that wasn't going to get answered, decided to change the subject, returning to the tale that he had been telling the group. Giving a frown, Heisuke took one more drink before hurrying from the room himself.

 _ **~There's gotta be another way out**_

 _ **I've been stuck in a cage with my doubt**_

 _ **I've tried forever to get out on my own~**_

 **The rain was cool against her skin**. Ryoko had come to a stop in an alley to catch her breath as she tried to calm herself down. It had happened so fast. Okita's words had brought forward some inner fears; and his neglect of personal space didn't help the problem too much either. Having lived with men for the last six months, Ryoko had hoped that she wouldn't have an encounter that reminded her of that awful night but she knew that wouldn't have truly happened. She was reminded of it every day when she looked over herself.

~I'll never get away from it,~ She told herself. ~It's always going to be there in the back of my mind, reminding me of the cruel, harsh reality that this world truly is.~ She tilted her head back and stared up at the night sky; it was beginning to clear up again so she didn't have to worry about getting wet anymore, not that it really mattered. She was outside, soaked in rain in the middle of winter. She was going to get sick either way; there was nothing that she could do about that. She just had to make sure that it didn't get too bad.

Pushing her hair out of her face, Ryoko returned to the streets. Everyone in Kyoto was inside their homes or some other building so she had the journey all to herself. The silence made it easier to calm her beating heart, but only for a little while.

It started off as a small moan. She ignored it, thinking that someone had left their window open a little too much but it kept getting louder as she continued to move; and it didn't sound like moans of pleasure like she had thought. Pausing in her steps again she heard someone give a sick laugh and then another moan. She went to run towards the sound but she had to stop herself. Ryoko didn't have her blade. Heisuke had assured her that she wasn't going to need her blade when they went out; it was just the group of them having fun after all. So she had left it in her room.

~Dammit!~ She cursed at herself. She stood in the middle of the street, her fists clinched tightly. ~I should have known better. Shit like this always happens!~

She was stuck. What could she do? Should she just walk away and continue on back home, leaving the victim to…whatever it was that was being done to them? She had no weapon and no idea what she was going to find.

She went to take a step forward but froze; Katsumi's smiling face and words passed through her mind.

" _If someone needs help, I'll always give it, no matter what."_

That made up her mind. Katsumi wouldn't leave anyone to something like this, and neither would the others.

They hadn't left her behind!

She ran as fast as she could, heading towards the sounds. She found that they were coming from an older man. He was strung out in the middle of the street, his blood everywhere. With a cry, Ryoko hurried to him, grabbing the hand that was still twitching, reaching for something; anything. She spoke to him, told him to hang on until she could get some type of help but she knew that there was nothing that she could do. He had lost too much blood already. There was no hope for him now.

"Rest in peace, old man," She quietly told him, closing his eyes.

She didn't hear it coming; she didn't even feel it until after her warm blood began to cascade down her shoulder. Rolling out of the way, she grabbed at her shoulder and twirled around on her knee to look at her attacker. Her eyes widened. "Y-you? You mean that there are more of you?!"

There were three of them dressed in blue and white that had been ruined by the old man's blood. Their hair was white and their eyes were a bright red and they all had maniac-like looks on their faces.

It was those creatures again. The ones that the Okami pack had met the night they were taken in by the Shinsengumi. This is what the men had been hiding from them, but how could there be more if them? They had killed them, hadn't they? Or…Ryoko wasn't sure what they were but she was sure about one thing. The Shinsengumi were doing something that they really shouldn't have been.

"Stay back," Ryoko growled, pushing herself up to her feet. She felt her panic rising as the trio of the white-haired monsters just stared at her with those crazed looks. "I'm warning you, if you don't-" She gave out a cry as the monsters ran at her again.

She had to get one of their blades. The trio had their weapons but they weren't using them; they had used their hands to rip that poor elder apart. She had to think of a plan and fa-

"GET AWAY FROM HER!"

Ryoko barely had time to hear the voice before Heisuke flew by her, slashing down the creatures. She just stared, watching as the young man struck down all three of the creatures. She had always commented on Heisuke not looking like a swordsman, always teased him about not being a real warrior, but as she watched him, she found that she was wrong. She couldn't tease him like that anymore; not after he saved her like this.

"Ryoko," Heisuke's voice brought her out of her thoughts. He moved back to her, sheathing his sword. "Are you all right? You shouldn't run off like that, especially not by yourself. You could get," He caught sight of the wound in her arm and gave a gasp, moving forward to get a better look. "Your arm! God, we have to get you back to the base and get this taken care of! Or should we go back to Sanosuke and the others? They could-"

"I don't want anything, Toudou," Her voice was small but it got louder as she continued to speak. "And I don't need anything but...all I want from you is answers!"

Heisuke blinked. "Answers?"

"Answers!" She repeated. "Those…those things are wearing the Shinsengumi's symbol! Last time we ran into them you and the others are there! You wouldn't tell me anything last time but I'm not going to take that answer again! Tell me everything, Toudou! What's going on here in the Shinsengumi? Why can't we enter the West Wing? What is it that you and the others are hiding from us? Why…why are these…these things attacking villagers! What happened to these people, Toudou!"

Heisuke pulled a guilty face, watching her go on her rant, demanding answers. He knew how she felt, knew how it must feel not to know anything about what she had been shoved into. He hated having to do this to the Okami Pack, to her, but how could he just tell her everything? He couldn't risk that, could he?

His answer came to him as he saw the tears build up in her eyes. They didn't fall, but it wasn't hard to see them as she stared at him, waiting for his answers. He moved forward and pulled her into a hug.

"It's okay now," Heisuke's arms brought warmth that Ryoko didn't know how to explain. She would have shoved any other man away but him…she felt protected, and not just because he had just struck down those creatures. "It's okay," He repeated, rubbing his hand on her back. "You're alright." He began to grind his teeth together before slamming his eyes shut. "I'll…I'll tell you everything."

 **Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

 _ **Chapter Nine**_

 _ **Secrets**_

 **Heisuke chewed on his bottom lip.** After she had changed from her wet clothes, he had brought Ryoko to his own room. It seemed that Sanosuke and the others hadn't returned yet so it was easy to sneak the young woman in. He knew that if anyone saw him sneak her in then he would be in trouble.

He didn't know if Fuyu was in the room that she and Ryoko shared so he brought her here. It would be easier for them to talk here. He knew that no one would bother him tonight. He had sent a guard out to take care of the bodies in the street before someone else noticed them and the room had been silent as he patched up her wound.

Ryoko had done nothing since he had set her down. Hadn't even spoken to him since he had saved her; it was making him a bit uncomfortable but he knew what the young woman wanted to hear; what she was waiting on. How did he start talking about something like that? He knew that he was taking a huge risk in revealing anything to her but at the same time he felt like she deserved some answers. He knew that the only women that knew anything about...the Shinsengumi's secret were Asami, Yumi, and Chika. Katsumi and Tsukiko didn't even care about what had happened, more upset that they were going to have to stay with the Shinsengumi for a while, while Ryoko and Fuyu were both pronounced too young by Asami to be told the truth. The reactions from the three women had been...shocking to Heisuke. No, everything that had happened since the day they ran into the Okami Pack had shocked the young Captain.

What Heisuke didn't understand, though, is why the women were willingly staying here. Or why Asami was ordering them to stay here. He knew that, without a doubt, they could have left a long time ago but it's under Asami's orders that they were still here. Was their leader...playing a game or something?

Then again that didn't really bother him. The longer they stayed here the longer he had with Ryoko.

He wouldn't lie; he was fond of the young woman, despite her dislike of men; something that he didn't understand at all.

There was a shifting and Heisuke was brought back from his thoughts. Ryoko was sitting on his bed, staring at him; waiting on him to begin the explanation that she had been promised.

How did he start this? The longer this took the worse his worries became. What would happen if Hijikata and the others found out that he had told her everything? What would they do to her afterwards? But what he was worried about most was how Ryoko was going to react. Would she hate him?

Taking a breath, he decided to begin. This was it. No turning back now...

"You can't say a word about this to anyone. I am taking a huge risk in telling you all of this. Both of us could get in serious trouble if anyone else found out." He paused, in case Ryoko wanted to say anything but continued when she stayed silent. Her silent stared made him avert his eyes. "Those men are...were...members of the Shinsengumi. They were a part of our Rasetsu unit; they're sort of a secret weapon that we've been working on. To become a Rasetsu, they drank a special potion called Ochimizu, or rather the 'Water of Life'. Under the Bakufu's orders, the potion was tested on the Shinsengumi's lower officers." He paused again but she hadn't moved at all; she just stared. "The Ochimizu gives the user the ability of extreme regeneration; it can heal even the most fatal ones. There are side effects, though. You witnessed it; they grow bloodthirsty. They are also weak and pained in sunlight and are weak to silver. We've only had the potion for a short while before we met you and the others. So it's not perfect yet, but…" Heisuke gave a shrug, not knowing what else to say.

What else was there to say? He had just revealed to her the biggest horror of the Shinsengumi; and they both could die for it. The thought of that made Heisuke's stomach turned. If it came to that then he would have to take drastic measures; the first step would be to ensure Ryoko's safety; that also meant that the other women would get involved.

"But why?"

Ryoko's words were soft, confused; he almost didn't hear her with how hard he was thinking. He could only continue to tell the truth.

"I never really asked," Heisuke admitted, glancing towards his window. "I try to stay as far away from it as I can. I'm sure it all has to do with war and things like that, but like I said. I just try to stay away from it all but as a Captain of the Shinsengumi I'm forced to interact with it from time to time."

"But what about those people?" Ryoko's voice was firm. "Have you thought about their families? You're turning them into monsters, Toudou!"

The sound of her voice accusing him made him move into refusal. "I didn't choose to! I'm just following orders!"

"Following orders?!" She repeated, her voice getting louder. "Is that all you can say? What about that old man's family, Heisuke? Or that mother and her child they killed last time? Can you say that to them?"

"Keep your voice down, Ito." Heisuke told her. "We're gonna get caught!"

"I don't care!" Ryoko jumped to her feet. "You're killing people!"

"I know!" His shout cut her off and froze her. Heisuke's knuckles had turned white as he clenched his fists. The sad look on his face made her anger settle. "I know that when in battle it's all about life and death but when these…these things attack the people it's anything but! It makes me sick! I've tried to talk to Kondou about it but he just tells me not to worry about it and that everything will be okay. But I know that if this continues nothing will be okay!" He paused, just staring at the ground beneath him. "But what…what can I do? There's nothing that I can do."

Her words, her reaction made Heisuke feel worse; even more guilty. Why did they hurt him so much? Why did her opinion matter this much to him?

"Only those that are weak believe that." Ryoko's words made Heisuke turn back to her. She had turned from him, staring at the wall as she spoke. "I had thought that once, too. I believed that there was nothing I could do and I...I…"

He could hear her voice tremble and she stood up as if trying to escape it. This is what he wanted. He could tell by her actions, by her words, that she was about to crack; about to open up to him. He reached to grab her shoulder but she began to speak again.

"Those men, those monsters," Ryoko bit her lip. "They've haunted my dreams ever since I saw them eating that woman and her child. I see them as the ones that…the men that…"

Heisuke didn't know how, but everything fit together with her words; at her trembles and the fear in her voice. The reason why Ryoko didn't like men. Why she flinched when he touched her or why she always wanted one of the other women with her when one of the men wanted to talk to her. It hit him now why she didn't trust him, even after all these days together.

He now understood why she had reacted the way she had to Okita earlier than night.

"These men," He began, searching for the right words. "They kidnapped you," He watched her freeze. "No, they did more than that, didn't they?" He watched her head lower. He felt a rage burst free in his chest. The people of this world...they were nothing but scum. "How old were you?"

"15," She answered softly. "Two years ago; before I joined the others. It's the reason why I…" She paused, shaking her head. "I don't want to talk about this. I-"

"Ryoko," Heisuke moved closer. "Whatever you may believe, I am not anything like those bastards. I'm not going to hurt you. You can trust me."

Ryoko opened her mouth to reply but closed it again. She argued with herself, a part of herself telling her to leave and not say a word more while the other said that she could tell Heisuke everything. She wanted to trust him for some reason; she just didn't know why.

No, she knew why. She knew that Heisuke...he wasn't like the others. He wasn't like those men that had...

"I…I lived on the streets of Edo for as long as I could remember," She began softly. Heisuke had to move closer to hear better. "I don't remember how I got there or anyone from the family that I doubt that I even had. I stole what I could to survive, living in a rundown building that had been left behind in the middle of the city. I was alone; until I was caught one day by a man in an inn. I had snuck in there to steal some clothes. I thought he would turn me in but instead he gave me food. He told me that he had a daughter my age in a different city and seeing me living like that pained his heart. He said there he would be here for a while on business and that if I would return that next day he would give me more food. And I did; for nearly a week. He even bought me new clothes and let me bathe and sleep in the bed in his room while he went out. I…I trusted him, just thinking that he was a kind man that cared about a homeless child. I was so wrong!"

Heisuke couldn't move, only staring at her back. "He brought some friends, didn't he?" He asked.

"Yes," He could hear the tears in her voice. "He…they tied me to the bed and I…I…" She used her sleeve to wipe her face. "If Katsumi hadn't off heard my cries, I would have been forced to endure more!"

This explained why Ryoko had attached herself to the other woman like she had. To be the person to have saved her from something as horrid as that…

"That's when you joined the Okami Pack, isn't it?"

She slowly nodded. "I swore to myself that I would never endure something like that again. I swore to grow stronger and stronger and to never place my trust in anyone other than my sisters."

Heisuke took a breath. "I'm sorry that that happened to you, Ryoko." She glanced at him over her shoulder. "I wouldn't wish that on anyone. There is nothing that I can say to make you change your opinion or make you lose your fear of others, but I know what I can do. I can be your friend. I can prove that Katsumi and the others aren't the only ones you can trust." He gave her a huge smile. "I swear that I can prove that not all of us men are evil monsters."

Ryoko just stared at him before turning her head again. She had sworn to herself that she would never fall for that again. She wanted to believe Heisuke, to trust him, but she would never be a fool and fall for it all over again. "Just leave me alone, Toudou. I won't make the same mistake twice."

Heisuke watched as she left his room and gave a sigh. He understood her feelings but he refused to do as she asked. He was going to keep to his word. He was going to prove that she could trust him, despite her fears. Heisuke knew that she was his friend over these last few months, if she wasn't she wouldn't have agreed to join him that night for dinner. She was just scared to admit it. He was going to change that, no matter how long it took.

 **Please Review! I like to know what you all think:)**


	10. Chapter 10

_**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE PLOTLINE AND THE OCS.**_

 _ **Chapter Ten**_

 _ **Advice**_

" **What's your problem?"**

Heisuke gave a groan from his position. Currently his face was smashed against the small table in Daiki's kitchen. It had been a month since Heisuke had told Ryoko everything about the Ochimizu, a month since Ryoko told him her secret. A month since the young woman had even said a word to him outside of the rounds they made together. He tried to get her to talk to him but it was short answers and stone faces. He could get a smile every now and then depending on the situation but it was always gone fast. He was never able to find her on the grounds, either. He would call out to her but the moment he turned a corner after her she was gone. He knew that she was avoiding him, and he knew why, but that didn't mean he liked it; he couldn't accept it. He swore to himself that he was going to help Ryoko get over what had happened to her but it was turning out to be harder than he thought. He needed help but Katsumi, the one that Ryoko trusted the most, still had yet to return with Saito and his men from Edo.

"Ito keeps avoiding me; she won't even eat the dango I make for her any more. She just leaves them outside of her room or leaves them untouched at dinner."

"I wouldn't eat them either," Daiki teased but realized that the younger man wasn't in the mood for joking. He gave a sigh, pausing in what he was currently doing. "Did something happen between the two of you?"

"Sort of...I guess. Ryoko...she's trying to shut us all out...me out...and it..."

"It hurts, right?" The man took a seat beside the other. "Who'd have thought that little Toudou would crush on a girl."

Heisuke shot him a look. "What's that supposed to me?" He then frowned. "and it's not a crush. I'm just worried about her; as a friend."

"Of course you are." Daiki smiled. He then sighed again. "I don't know much about women, the only ones I've ever interacted with are Geisha and my family. Even I don't know what to do half the time I'm around these women. If anyone should know, it's Sanosuke. I'd say Shinpachi as well, but seeming as how he and Tsukiko hate eachother...it might not be a good idea to ask him for any advice."

'Yeah, I know," Heisuke closed his eyes. "It seems like they're the only ones that I can really talk to about this. They've been teasing me for acting funny lately, though."

"Well, it's not like you to be depressed, Heisuke. It really brings the place down, you know? You're normally the life of the party, not Hijikata's mini-me."

"Hey now," The younger man shoved at the other. "That's taking it a bit far, don't you think?"

"Not in the least; at least, not yet. If you keep acting like this then I'm going to pass your new nickname around the base, understand? So get back to normal, Toudou. You and your little girlfriend will be able to makeup soon enough."

"She's not my girlfriend!" Heisuke roared, jumping from the table, cheeks red. "Stop calling her that."

Daiki smiled. "Run along now, Toudou. I'm sure you'll be able to find Sanosuke and Shinpachi before they head out for the night. Then again, they did come clear out all the sake I had stocked up so they might be staying in tonight to drink; you never know with the two of them."

They weren't exactly hard to find. They were in Shinpachi's room, laughing and drinking loudly with eachother.

"Hey, there he is!" Shinpachi wasted no time in greeting the smaller man. "I wondered what hole you were hiding in today!"

"I wasn't in hiding, I just didn't feel like drinking, that's all."

"That's like saying you don't want to be a man," Shinpachi laughed loudly, taking another drink.

Sanosuke gave a smooth smile. "Are you feeling better?"

Heisuke opened his mouth to deny feeling bad but he knew that the red-haired man would see right through him. "Not really. That's...that's why I wanted to talk to you guys. I...I need help with Ito. I can't get her to talk to me like she used to."

"Still on about that?" Shinpachi dropped an arm around his shoulders. "You must have really pissed her off, Heisuke."

Sanosuke watched as the younger man stared at the hands he had curled into fists on his knees. "This is really bothering you, isn't it?"

"Of course it is!" He replied. "These women...they're under our protection."

"I think they can hold their own pretty good by themselves," Sanosuke replied.

"That's not the point," He wouldn't tell them Ryoko's secret; he couldn't do that. She had trusted him enough to tell him that, whether or not she was avoiding him now. He refused to break that. "I...I need your help in fixing it."

"Oh, is the little boy in love?"

At the voice behind them, they all turned to watch as Okita slipped in, taking a seat beside Sanosuke.

"Why do you all think that?" Heisuke shook his head.

"It's all over your face, that's why," The man grinned, his green eyes flashing in laughter. "And then if we can't tell by that, we can tell by your actions. You've been chasing after her for a month now, Toudou. I'm about to change your statues from lovesick to stalker."

Heisuke felt his cheeks redden. "Think what you want! I just don't like her avoiding me."

Sanosuke gave him a soft smile. "I wish I knew what to tell you but I don't. None of us here know Ryoko that well. Your best chance of getting through to her is to talk to the other women."

"But Katsumi isn't back with Saito just yet. I know she's the one that Ryoko's closest too."

"What about Asami? She might be able to help you." Okita offered.

"I'd let her help me any day," Shinpachi grinned, finishing off another bottle.

Shaking his head, Sanosuke looked at Heisuke again. "As I said, your best bet is to talk to the other women. I know how to deal with women but these we have here now...they're a bit different."

Shinpachi gave a snort. "That's an understatement; they're all weirdos."

"Then you should feel right at home," Okita grinned, taking a drink of his own.

"You guys are no help at all."

"We gave you a choice," Okita replied. "You can either go see the other women or you can forget all about it and move on."

"I-I can't do that!"

"Then Asami and the others are in the courtyard," The man waved a hand, dismissing the other. "Scurry on before they move."

Heisuke jumped up instantly and took from the room without another word. Shinpachi looked at the other man.

"How do you always know where they are? You even know which ones are out in town all the time."

"These women were brought to us and several of them know the secret of the Ochimizu. It would be foolish to let them wander without keeping an eye on them. Saito was helping me; at least until he was dragged away. The two of you should lend a hand as well."

"No thanks. I'd rather not be anywhere near that woman unless I have to be," Shinpachi grumbled. "How you can even talk to her is a mystery to me."

"To us both," Sanosuke agreed, sipping from his own cup.

Heisuke hurried to the courtyard and found the Okami Pack all sitting in the courtyard. They had cleared the snow from the ground and each held hot cups of tea as they quietly talked. Fuyu was currently brushing her aunt's hair as Yumi rested her head on Chika's shoulder as Tsukiko sipped her tea quietly. He felt a frown forming on his face. He had been hoping to see Ryoko out here with the others but he had struck out again.

"Heisuke, is something the matter?" Asami's cool was called to him, making the women turn to look at him.

"N-no, it's just...I need some advice and I don't have anyone else to turn to." He kicked the snow at his feet. "Do you mind if I join you?"

"Not at all," Yumi smiled, lifting her head from her friend's shoulder. She patted a spot beside her and he moved forward to take it.

"Are you guys not cold out here like this? Especially you, Asami?" He found himself asking. The eldest woman then didn't even bother to wear a jacket or something of the sort out here, just dressed in her normal clothes.

"I've always been hot-blooded," Asami smiled happily as Fuyu continued to brush her hair. "Besides, the winter weather here is nothing compared to the weather we would get up north."

"Up North?" Heisuke repeated. "Just how far did you come?"

"A long way."

"You said you needed some advice," Chika decided to comment. "Has something happened?"

"Not...really. I mean...well...Ryoko's still avoiding me," He tried to ignore the smile that spread across Yumi's face. "It's been over a month now. I tried talking to Sanosuke and the others but no one seems to know what to do so...maybe you guys could help me."

"Ryoko has never been fond of men," Chika replied. "It's not strange for her to avoid them again."

"I...I know that," He was greeted with silence. These women knew everything about Ryoko; hell, they had been the ones to save her. "I...She told me what happened," Heisuke told the older women. "About how you guys saved her."

Tsukiko gave a frown. "Did she...?" She wasn't the only one to look surprised.

"That's unusual," Fuyu paused in her brushing for a moment. "You didn't force it out of her, did you?"

"No! No, she told me willingly. It was...it was the night that she left the town. The night she shoved Souji away and ran off. I went after her and-" He stopped there. He couldn't tell them about the Ochimizu. Yumi, Chika, and Asami knew what it was, yes, but he wasn't sure in Fuyu and Tsukiko knew since they both refused their answers in the beginning so he couldn't just blab about him saving Ryoko from the Rasetsu.

"Yes, I remember." Yumi nodded. "Ryoko...it was a big leap for her to tell you anything about that night at all. She would never have told you anything if you didn't feel like she could trust you. Her feelings are...flying, so to speak."

Heisuke raised a brow. "Flying?"

"The child doesn't know what to do, what she's feeling," Asami explained. "And so her first instinct is to push you away. She doesn't trust men; I'm surprised she took to you at all."

"That's because Heisuke here is still a boy," Tsukiko said bluntly.

Heisuke pulled a face. "You're starting to sound like Nagakura there, Hayashi."

Tsukiko pulled a disgusted face before chugging down her tea as the others laughed.

"Ryoko is still young," Asami continued. "She was placed in a circumstance that has made her fear anything outside of...well...us, and so when she opened up to you she felt threatened and pulled back. Your following her everywhere and trying to talk to her still is making her pull back further and further."

"Then...I should stop?" He asked. He didn't understand why, but he felt sad at the thought of that.

"Oh, I didn't say that." Asami smiled.

"What she's saying," Tsukiko spoke again. "Is to keep trying. Ryoko will sort out her own feelings in time and she can either accept you or reject you. In the end it is her choice."

"I definitely don't want her rejecting me, that's for sure," Heisuke sighed.

"It'll be fine," Yumi assured him. "She'll break soon, I know it. Ahh, I can hear the wedding music now."

Heisuke flushed a dark red as the women all laughed. "How many times do I have to tell you people that I'm not in love with her!?"

"Stop teasing him," Chika scolded the other woman. "He's far too young to be thinking about things like that, anyway."

"I'm eighteen." He reminded her, trying not to grind his teeth.

"Are you sure? You seem to be fifteen to me."

"Can a fifteen-year-old be a Captain of the Shinsengumi?!"

"From what I've seen your men do? Yes."

Asami shook her head as the duo shot back and forth at eachother. Heisuke couldn't help but laugh in his head as they continued to banter. He felt better now after talking to the women. He wasn't going to stop talking to Ryoko. If she just stood there during patrols and ignored him his voice would still continue on. Who knew? Maybe she'd reply to him tomorrow.

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	11. Chapter 11

_**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE PLOTLINE AND THE OCS.**_

 _ **Chapter Eleven**_

 _ **Eavesdropping**_

" **You can't avoid him forever, you know."**

"I can try."

"You're being childish, Ryoko."

"I am not."

Fuyu sighed. "Fine; if you won't eat them then I will."

Heisuke had left another plate of dango outside their room. Fuyu had returned from Asami's room, bringing the plate in with her.

Ryoko launched across the room, swiping the plate from her friend before she could grab one to eat, holding the dango protectively.

"What the hell, Ryo?" Fuyu growled, staring at her.

For a moment, Ryoko couldn't speak. Why had she done that? She wasn't going to eat them...and she didn't know why, but she didn't want Fuyu have them, either. In fact, she didn't want anyone eating anything that Heisuke had made for her.

"If..." She searched her brain for a good excuse. "If you eat them then he'll think that I did it."

Fuyu stared at her in disbelief. "Why are you acting like this?"

'Like what?"

"You know damn well you're being weird. Why not just admit that you like him and go back to being the normal Ryoko?"

"I don't like him," She argued. "I'm only dealing with him because I have to."

"Oh? If that's true then why did you tell him about Susumu?"

At that man's name, Ryoko felt a shiver run through her body. The thought of that man's hands on her body...If he had told the others that then had he also revealed what he had told her about the Ochimizu?

"W-when did he tell you that?"

'The other day," Fuyu answered, sitting at the desk she had received from Hijikata; she had to play sweet to him for nearly a week before he told her to knock it the hell off and just gave her own. "He came to us for advice on you. You're hurting him, Ryoko."" She then frowned. "I hope this has nothing to do with Katsumi being gone.

"This has nothing to do with Yamaguchi!" Her voice was loud and sharp, making the other woman stare at her in shock. Never before had she referred to Katsumi by her last name. Ryoko stood up, leaving the dango on her bed. "I'm going for a walk."

She said nothing else as she left the room. She wasn't acting this way because of Katsumi was still gone; no, it was another reason.

She had listened to everything that Heisuke had told her and though it frightened her, that wasn't why she was avoiding him, either.

Scratching her head, Ryoko paused in the hall. Maybe Fuyu was right. Maybe she was being foolish. No, there was no maybe. Avoiding Heisuke like this was ridiculous but every time she even glanced at him she just panicked and ran. Her body just moved on it's own even though her mind screamed at her to stop and talk with him. She had seen his face lately; his smile was rarely there anymore.

She missed that smile...

"I'm sorry for calling you here to do this, Asami."

"It's fine, Isami. You always have been bad at sewing."

'Yes. You always tried to teach me but I could never get the hang of it. Sewing is an art for women, I tell ya."

Ryoko now knew where she was. She was at the back doors of Kondo's room. He and Asami were apparently talking. She knew she shouldn't be listening to Asami and Kondo talking but their words caught her; froze her.

"I must admit," Kondo began. "When I saw you that night...I didn't believe that it was you. To see you here in Kyoto...it was like a dream. I never thought that we would meet again; not like this. Fate made it so."

"Fate had nothing to do with it. I came..." Asami's words stopped there.

Ryoko felt her eyes widen and her breath catch. Asami...had brought them here to Kyoto for a reason? A reason like this? She knew all about the Shinsengumi all along; knew that they would be caught. Kondo wasn't the only one keeping them from leaving, was he? Asami was behind it all too! But why? What was going on?

"Asami," Kondo's words were slow. "Have you...reconsidered? Is that...perhaps, why you sought me out."

"Isami, I owe you more than I can ever give you. You, who took me and the baby I held in out of the pouring rain without a second through. You, who took care of both Fuyu and I until I was able to make it on my own. I came here from my home, barely knowing a think about anything and you stayed and helped me until I learned all that I needed. You, who knows where I come from and who I truly am...you accepted me with open arms; accepted both me and Fuyu. I swore to myself to repay you for your kindness...and I know what you want...but I'm afraid that I just can't give it to you."

"Even after twenty years?" Kondo sounded...so sad; Ryoko felt her heart stinging. This man...he and Asami knew eachother, they had to have met in Edo. He loved Asami so much it seemed...she could tell from his voice. "Twenty years of not even a glimpse of him and you still love him?"

"Even after twenty years," Asami's voice was soft and though Ryoko couldn't hear any emotions from it, she could see the sad smile on her leader's face. "I will go to my grave loving him."

"But you get the short end of the stick, Asami. It's not fair." Kondo began to plead. "You could be so much happier. Give me a chance."

"I will not have this conversation with you again, Isami." Asami's voice was harsh before fading again. "As I said before...if we had met in different times...I cannot pretend to love you while I long for another. I won't do that to you. You deserve better."

"So do you."

Ryoko felt her heart pounding from her chest. This was certainly not a conversation she needed to be hearing. She should tiptoe away now before she was caught but she was too curious. So many secrets were spilling out.

It was obvious now that Asami met Kondo in Edo when she first left her home to the north. Fuyu had still been a baby, making Kondo in his teens when they met. Asami was with Kondo for years, it seemed, before leaving him. How old was Fuyu at the time? Was she old enough to remember Kondo? Was she helping her aunt in keeping her secrets.

"I came because I saw you in a dream, Kondo."

"A dream?" The man sounded confused for a moment before his voice became sharp. "You mean...one of your visions?"

"Yes. As you know, the women in my family have the ability to witness Precognitive dreams. I knew my sister would have a bastard child and I knew that our father would try and kill them both; its why I grabbed Fuyu and ran when I did. It's why I ended up at your doorstep that night in the rain; I knew you would take me in. It's how I knew you would create your dojo in Edo and that Hijikata would grow to be your Vice-Commander for the Shinsengumi. And now...now it's why I am here."

"What...what did you see this time?"

Ryoko held her breath. She knew about Asami's dreams, all the women did. It's how she was able to save them all. Save Katsumi from the men in the alley. Save Tsukiko and Chika from starving in the streets. Saved Yumi from being sold as a slave. How she knew where Susumu and his friends had her locked up.

"This time...I saw you die."

Thunder rumbled overhead, making Ryoko jump and glance up. When had the clouds turned so dark?

"I...die?" Kondo's words were shaky.

"If you continue to walk this path, you will die. Not just you, but everyone around you. Sannan. Yamazaki. Shimada. Toshizo. Heisuke. Gen. Souji-"

"-I will not let that happen-"

"-You are captured and executed; beheaded before the Choushu, leaving everything on the shoulders of your Vice Commander before he follows you to the grave." Asami's voice was once again void of any emotion. "But its not just you I see dying. I see them, too. All of them..." Her voice trembled. "Yumi and Tsukiko will disappear from my side. Katsumi dies saving Saito and Heisuke against your damn Furies. Ryoko will drink the Ochimizu to try and save Katsumi before she fades to dust. And Fuyu...my father will find her and finish what he started, taking Chika and Okita both with her...I'll be...all alone again. That's why I came to Kyoto, Isami. I made us all leave Edo to try and go into hiding so none of this would happen. I came to Kyoto to give you merely a warning before we were to set off to find a new home, but I have been given another dream. If I were to pull us all away now...things would turn out worse. Only so much worse. We have been seen with the Shinsengumi too much. Us leaving would result in Fuyu and Ryoko being captured and tortured for information. And the moment they learn the truth about Fuyu..."

"We won't let that happen," Kondo's voice was soft. "I won't let that happen." He took a breath. "I was surprised when you asked me to refuse your ability to leave. Now I understand why. I will let no harm befall you or the others. As for your visions, we will find a way to stop them all; and your father. If he shows up around here...we can stop him."

"The only one strong enough to stop my father...has too much pride to do so; I have no doubt that...after I ran from him...he has long turned his back to me."

"Then he is not worthy to be called a man," Kondo told her. "And not worthy to hold the heart you still give to him. I swear on my honor that I, Commander of the Shinsengumi, shall keep you and the others safe. I will not leave you alone, Kimura."

A sharp pain shot through Ryoko's left ear. A hand slapped over her mouth before she could make a noise and she felt herself being dragged away from the paper door. She felt her face drain at the sight of Tsukiko's enraged face above her. How long had that woman been standing there?

Knowing that fighting would be pointless, Ryoko just followed after the older woman until they were close to Daiki's kitchen. The man was normally gone from the base this time of day, leaving no one to listen in on them.

Tsukiko let go of the other woman, glaring down at her. "Eavesdropping isn't like you, Ryoko."

Ryoko didn't even try to dent it. She wanted answers. "Tsukiko...is...is it true? Is it true that Asami wanted us to stay here, not the Shinsengumi? Is this all her doing?!"

Tsukiko stared at the younger woman for a moment before closing her eyes. "Yes."

"Why? But why?!" She demanded. She felt lied to; betrayed. They could have left so long ago and gone traveling like they planned but now they were stuck here!

~But you heard what Asami said. Fuyu and you get captured and tortured.~

years ago, if you had asked Ryoko if she believed in Asami's visions she would have laughed in your face. But she had seen them work before. On several occasions; it saved the lives of all of them more than once. She believed they were true but if they were...

Ryoko would die, drinking the Ochimizu, the Water of Life, to save Katsumi, Saito, and Heisuke. She would be turned into one of those...those things! It...it couldn't be true. She...she would never do that...would she?

"I've known Asami longer then anyone else outside of Fuyu. There are things that she has told me that she's kept secret from even her niece and this is one of them."

"So...not even Fuyu knows..." Ryoko closed her eyes for a moment before looking at the other woman. "But why? I still don't understand."

"You don't have to; not yet." Tsukiko gave the younger woman a small smile. "Has Asami ever given you a reason not to trust her?" Her answer was a shake of the head. "Then trust her now in this. I know you're confused and you want to understand but you will learn everything else in due time. Asami knows what she's doing; she always has. Trust her like the rest of us do."

Ryoko wanted to ask more questions, she really wanted to confront Asami about everything she just heard, but she found herself wanting to trust Tsukiko's words; to trust Asami. Tsukiko smiled as the younger woman nodded her head and tusseled her hair. "I'm proud of you, Ryo. Don't worry...none of us will die. All dreams can be changed. In the meantime," She glanced at the kitchen door. "You need to worry about something other than the past and the future; start thinking about the present."

"What do you-" Her question was cut off as Tsukiko pushed her into the kitchen, slowly pulling the doors closed behind her. She turned to leave but the sound of a crash caught her attention and she turned back to peer into the kitchen.

"Ahh, why did that happen?" A sneeze followed the voice. "Now the flour's everywhere. Ahh, Daiki's going to kill me."

The voice made Ryoko's heart pound again. Instantly her body wanted to turn and run but she was able to keep herself from doing so, though just barely. If...if Asami could bear the weight of her secrets then she could bear the weight of facing this young man again. She needed to apologize for how she was treating him. She...

"All right," She watched as Heisuke stood up from the pile of dishes and white flour on the floor and brushed himself off. "The dango obviously isn't going to work anymore so let's try some Daifuku. Or would she want some Botamochi." He grabbed his head with a cry. "I have no clue what to make!"

Ryoko stared at the young man, smiling as she had yet to be noticed. He was really into making her food, wasn't he?

A memory came back to her from the last time she ate something Heisuke had made for her.

" _Oh, these are really good, Heisuke!" Ryoko smiled. "So much better than last week's! You're getting really good at this!"_

" _Well, I'm glad you like them!" He grinned. "Daiki says that I should try something else but I'm not sure what you would like."_

" _Well, if you'd like, I could show you how to make some Daifuku one day. Or maybe some Botamochi."_

 _Heisuke looked at her. "Do you know how to make Yatsuhashi?"_

 _He watched as Ryoko lowered her head. "I've tried it, but Chika's the best at that."_

" _Well then, next week, let's try and make it together. It can't be that hard! What do you say?"_

 _Ryoko turned and glanced at him, one of the Dango sticks hanging from her mouth as she spoke around it. "Really? You wouldn't mind spending all day in a kitchen cooking?"_

" _With you? Of course not! I'll talk to Daiki about it!" He smiled._

That was over a month ago. Had it really been that long.

Taking a breath, she could feel her heart pounding in her ears as she stepped towards the storage that Daiki kept his ingredients in.

"How about we make some Yatsuhashi instead?" With the containers of sugar and cinnamon in her hands, she watched as Heisuke jumped at her voice and turned to stare at her in shock. She couldn't help but laugh; his face and hair was covered in flower. She reached forward with a free hand and began to brush the flour away. "We promised to make it together, remember?"

Heisuke stared at the woman before him, all kinds of questions going through his head. He wanted to demand why she had been avoiding him but as he stared at her smile, as her voice entered his ears, he found his anger and hurt fading away. A smile broke out inside.

"That's great! Let's make it and then tease Shin and Sano with it; they'll be so jealous!"

Ryoko giggled, watching as the young man went on and on about teasing his friends. There is was again; that smile that she had longed to see.

She still had so many questions that she wanted answers to but she would trust both Tsukiko and Asami and enjoy this smile before her for as long as she could.

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	12. Chapter 12

_**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE PLOTLINE AND THE OCS.**_

 _ **Chapter Twelve**_

 _ **Strange Feelings**_

" **Ah, it's nice to kick back and relax after a few days of hard work."**

"What are you complaining about, Shinpachi? All you did was shovel snow."

"Shut up, Heisuke! Besides, shoveling snow can be hard. Especially when your partner, a certain woman, decides to make you do it all on your own!"

Harada laughed. "Perhaps you should ask nicer next time."

"You have no idea how much of a shrew Tsukiko can be!" Shinpachi hissed. "It's like living with a Demon! I think she's worse than you, Hijikata!"

The other samurai reached forward for his glass and gave a grin. "Is that right?"

"Oh, you just have no idea!"

"Speaking of which, where are they?" Heisuke glanced around the room. "None of the girls are here."

"Oh, don't worry, they'll be here soon enough." Their leader grinned in a mischievous way.

"Kondou," Hijikata stared at his friend. "What exactly have you done?"

Isami gave a grin. "They are women, after all. And for a party, I couldn't just leave them dressed like they normally are, could I?"

Heisuke couldn't stop grinning. Saito and Katsumi had returned from Edo a week ago and the Captains were taking Kondo out for his birthday tonight. The Commander had invited all the women to join them. He was excited to see Ryoko. They hadn't spoken of why she avoided him for a month but their conversations carried on like they did beforehand. Everyday she would smile and talk to him; she never ran away anymore. She even ate all the food he made for her; until Daiki kicked him out of the kitchen for using all his ingredients, anyway. Things were, he felt, back to normal and he couldn't be happier.

"That's a big grin you got there, Heisuke," Shinpachi decided to tease the younger man. "Are you drunk already?"

"Drunk on love, maybe," Daiki grunted from his seat. "And that love is costing my kitchen a fortune."

"I didn't use that much, Daiki!" Heisuke growled.

"Bullshit! There's barely anything left there! Do you know how hard it is to come across Rice Flour here in the winter? Our entire stock is completely diminished!"

Heisuke felt his cheeks heat up but he didn't avert his gaze. "If it makes Ito happy then I'll do it as many times as I have to."

Sanosuke reached over and tusseled his hair and Shinpachi looked like he was about to cry. "Our little boy's growing up, Sano! Oh, it's just too beautiful!"

"Shut it, you guys!" Heisuke shoved Sanosuke's hand from his head.

He didn't take back his words; he believed it. He loved spending time cooking with Ryoko, cooking for her. If making her food would keep her happy like she was now then he would continue to do just that, no matter what anyone else said. He had heard from Katsumi that Ryoko's favorite sweets were Daifuku so he planned on trying his hand at that next time he got the chance to do so. He was going to have to sneak around behind Daiki, though. The man threw him from his kitchen the moment he walked in it now.

"Excuse me, good sirs," a voice sounded outside the door of the room. "But the rest of your party has arrived."

"All right," Shinpachi grinned, lifting his sake to his lips again. "Bring in the ladies!"

All of the men glanced at the group of women as they entered the room. Most of them, wore shocked looks as Kondo let out a huge grin and Daiki, the chef, gave out a whistle.

As the others all commented, Heisuke found himself breathless when his eyes landed on Ryoko. He had grown so accustomed to seeing her in men's clothing from the west that he never even tried to imagine her in a kimono. All the women looked good, yes, but his eyes were glue to her.

Her kimono was black with white rabbits sitting beneath a crescent moon, splattered with pink flowers that matched the pink obi that she wore. Her long, black hair had been twisted around a hairpin; a hairpin that he recognized. It had been the hairpin that she had seen in town on their first patrol; the one that Heisuke bought and gave to her months ago.

The sight of her wearing it, it made him feel proud. Proud, happy, and strange.

And his strange feelings just got weirder the moment her blued eyes locked with his. Clear, blue, when he had first stared into those eyes he saw nothing but restraint, distrust, but now he could see the joy Ryoko felt. The brightness that shone from them and melded into her face as she smiled at him.

Heisuke blushed and looked away from her, his face heating up. Strange feelings were beginning to squirm in his stomach; he was to embarrassed to look at her again as she sat across from him between Shinpachi and Yamazaki.

"God, it feels so weird to be in a kimono again," Katsumi was commenting. "We've been in pants for so long now that I had almost forgotten how to put one of these on."

"I know, right?" Fuyu laughed with her. "Maybe we should start wearing these again."

"I don't think that we would be able to fight in these, Fuyu," Tsukiko told the younger woman. "Pants are more moveable."

"I agree," Yumi nodded. "But dressing up like an actual woman every once in a while wouldn't be so bad, either."

"I agree with that one," Daiki raised a glass. "Hot ladies in silk are always a hell of a site for me. It makes me wonder what you look like underneath."

"And that totally just ruined all of this for me," Chika pulled a face. They all laughed at Daiki.

"Well, now that you have arrived, I say we get this party started!" Isami grinned.

"Before we do," Asami began. "From what you gave us this morning, we had some funds left over and the girls decided to use it on a present for you."

"A present?" Isami looked shocked.

"Yeah," Ryoko nodded. "What's wrong, have the boys here never gotten you anything for your birthday," The members around the table all coughed and looked away. Her mouth dropped open. "Oh, you bastards!" Heisuke snickered bashfully. Normally he wouldn't have felt bad but to hear it coming from Ryoko's mouth made him feel a bit guilty.

"For-shame on all of you," Katsumi shook her head as Fuyu pulled out the wrapped package.

"Hey, we take him out drinking and stuff," Shinpachi replied.

"That's not the same, though," Yumi told him.

"Don't bother trying to explain it, Chika," Tsukiko began as she lifted her own glass. "He's either too drunk to understand already to where he won't remember it for next year or he's just too stupid already."

"Ah, come on, you and Nagakura can have your ego fights tomorrow," Katsumi told the woman sitting across from her next to Heisuke. "Go ahead, Kondo. Open it!"

"I know it's not much," Fuyu began to fumble embarrassingly with her hands. "But I hope you like it." She glanced to her right to see that Hijikata had placed a hand on her head and was giving her a grin. Everyone watched as the man opened the cloth before him. "We didn't know if you even had one, but Asami said that you can never have so many so-"

"The thought is wonderful," Kondo grinned. "And Asami was right. You can never have too many." His present had been a sharpening stone for his blades. There was also- "And what is this?" He lifted up another object. It was an exquisite carving of a set of howling wolves on a cliff.

"It is said to be made from the ashes off of Mt. Fuji," Ryoko told him. "So you'd better keep it safe, got it?"

"It's nice and all," Heisuke looked at her, trying his hardest not to stare. "But why would you get that for Kondo? Isn't wolves more of your thing?"

"Well, the Shinsengumi are also called the Wolves of Mibu, aren't you?" Katsumi replied. "Besides, it's a token of us as well."

"Of you?" Kondo raised a brow.

"Yes," Asami closed her eyes. "Everyone agreed on it. Eventually, the Okami Pack and the Shinsengumi will be on their separate paths again, even if that does not happen until a year or so in the future. But if you ever need us afterwards, just remember us and call for help. The Okami pack will come."

Things were silent for a moment, leaving Kondo to stare at the grins on all the faces of the women that sat around the table. He looked like he was about to cry. "This…this…"

"Aww, don't cry!" Fuyu leaned over and pulled the man into a hug. "It'll make me cry, too!"

"If might have been a little over half a year since we first ran into you guys, but we like you. A lot. Any other Samurai would have been pissed that women wanted to join them in battle. You actually letting us work with you and whatnot kinda…made you guys special to us," Katsumi told them all, rubbing the back of her neck.

Kondo rubbed his tears away and pulled a huge smile on his face. "I appreciate it! If the Shinsengumi ever need you in the future, you will be found!"

Heisuke wasted no time in leaning across the way to give Ryoko bites of his food as the conversation around them was lively. Just watching her smile as she ate and thanked him, that slight pink tinted to her cheeks, was enough to make him feel good, with or without sake. Of course, this resulted in teasing from Sanosuke and Shinpachi but at the moment he didn't care.

The party continued well into the night, everyone having fun and enjoying the others. A few of the group had already returned to the base, leaving the real partiers to stay longer around the table. Sanosuke was currently entertaining everyone with the scar he held on his stomach. Shinpachi and Heisuke were laughing as they held onto the other as Yumi looked like she was about to die. Asami and Hijikata were in a deep conversation with Sanan and Fuyu. Ryoko laughed happily beside them all, secretly taking sips from Yumi's glass when she thought no one was looking. Tsukiko caught her eye sternly for a moment before giving a smile as she refilled the glass. Ryoko stayed silent and just drank it.

Seven months ago, if you had asked her if she would be happy here with the Shinsengumi, she would have said no but now...she had grown used to the ones here. She missed traveling but at the same time she had a feeling that she would miss this too. Miss seeing the people she had grown to know.

Was this feeling...what Yumi and the others referred to when they told her she'd grow up eventually? She no longer felt fear when she looked at the men. She would never forgive what Susumu did to her but...after revealing everything to Heisuke...she came to realize that the men here had nothing to do with what had happened to her. It wasn't their fault and so she shouldn't blame them.

She found her feelings changing, and fast. Too fast for her liking but she found herself becoming excited. She liked these new feelings despite not knowing what they all meant. She found herself too excited to sleep at night lately and her face hurt from smiling and laughing so much.

That was Heisuke's fault. The two of them practically spent every second of the day together now that they were talking again. Outside of Patrols they were cooking together or hanging out with Sanosuke and the others, just enjoying themselves. She found herself staring at that smile she loved so much; it could just brighten her whole day.

"You know, if you stare any harder then you'll put a hole in him."

Ryoko gave a sudden jump and glanced at the man that now sat beside her. She gave a small smile; she had been staring at Heisuke while thinking, apparently. "I suppose I will, won't I?"

Okita cocked a brow at her. "Not denying it? I thought you didn't like men."

"I don't," Ryoko shook her head and then corrected herself. "Or, I didn't. I've...come to the conclusion that I can't blame every man I meet for something one bastard did. Being here...all of you showed me this."

"Is that right," Okita pulled a puzzled face as she gave him a bow, forehead against the floor. "What are you doing?"

"Apologizing," She told him, lifting her head back up. "For shoving you away like I had. I...panicked, but it was not right to treat you that way."

Okita smiled at her. "If it had been a man he would have died. I can let a cute girl get away with that; but only once."

She gave him a laugh. "I'll keep that in mind."

Okita continued to smile. "I don't know what happened, but I'm glad to see that you're attempting to move past it. You seem happier, though I suppose most of the praise should fall to Toudou for that."

"I suppose it should," Both watched as Sanosuke continued on with the story about how he got that scar on his stomach; Okita just shook his head and Ryoko continued to smile.

Later into the night, Fuyu had reached her limit and looked sick. Yamazaki and Shimada offered to escort her home; Ryoko and Chika volunteered to go with them, Okita following them with a smile.

"It's a bummer to leave such a lively party," Chika commented as they exited the building. "But I'm afraid I know where my limits are."

"Is that so?" Okita grinned. "And here I was about to invite you to share some of my secret stash with me. I have to hide it from Harada and Nagakura so they don't drink it; not even Daiki knows where it's at."

"Did I say my limits? I meant my public limits. If it's back at the base I can continue to drink until I pass out or the sun comes up."

Okita's grin was always glued to his face, it seemed. "Let's see what comes first, shall we?"

Shaking her head, Ryoko stumbled a little before regaining her balance and gave a light giggle. She had drank a little too much herself but she was happier than normal so she didn't mind.

"Are you really leaving already?"

Turning around, she found that Heisuke had followed them down, a sad look on his face. "Yes, I'm afraid so. My body...is not accustomed to drinking like this. I'm afraid that if I stay any longer then you'll have to carry me back home."

Heisuke's face pinked as he scratched his nose. "I...I wouldn't mind..."

She smiled at him. "I know you wouldn't, and while I appreciate it, I don't want to be a burden to you, Heisuke. Maybe, in time, I'll be able to hold my own and stay longer."

"Ryo! Let's go!" Chika's voice called out, her and Okita moving further away from her as they followed Fuyu and the others. "We'll leave you behind."

"Have fun tonight, Heisuke. And keep an eye on Yumi and Katsumi for me, will you?" She turned to leave but Heisuke grabbed her arm and pulled her back. She felt warmth before her mind could comprehend that the young man had wrapped her in his arms, holding her close.

"I...uh...I just wanted to tell you...before you leave...that you liked pretty tonight. You look good in your regular clothes but...it'd be nice...I'd like to see you dress like this more often, too."

"You mean like a girl?" She asked.

"No," His voice was firm. "Like a woman."

Ryoko blinked, not sure how to react to that. She found herself frozen, unsure of how to reply or what to do next.

"Get back safely, and I'll see you tomorrow, alright?"

His voice was soft in her ear; it made her stomach twist it knots as his breath tickled her neck.

"See you tomorrow." She nodded.

Heisuke gave her a grin as he pulled back before waving as he disappeared inside again. His warmth was gone, making her feel even more cold on this winter night.

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	13. Chapter 13

_**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE PLOTLINE AND THE OCS.**_

 _ **Chapter Thirteen**_

 _ **First Kiss**_

" **What do you mean you're leaving?"**

Ryoko gave Heisuke a small smile. This was the third time she was explaining it to him. "I told you; this is Katsumi's chance for revenge."

"No, I understand that; why do YOU have to go?"

After returning from their trip to Edo, Saito revealed to everyone Katsumi's secret. Katsumi's family had been murdered by the Orgo Bandits, revealing why the young woman had tried to attack the ones in town that one night. Every year on the second week of winter, when Katsumi said she was going to go visit her family, she was actually going to visit their graves, also explaining why she always went by herself. Ryoko was a little hurt, not sure why Katsumi didn't trust them enough to tell her the secret she had kept quiet, why she had revealed it to the samurai before anyone else, but as she thought about it, the answer wasn't hard to see.

She had noticed over the last few days the way Katsumi would look at Saito. The older woman thought that she was being discrete but Ryoko had caught them all; it was often the look she wore when she looked at Heisuke, according to Yumi.

"I have to go because Katsumi is important to me. She's my sister. I can't let her go do something like this, something this dangerous, without me. I'd be riddled with fear and worry until they returned."

"And I won't be?" Heisuke frowned. "All I'll be able to think about if you until you return safely."

She gave the young man before her a large smile. "I appreciate that you're worried about me, Heisuke, and I thank you, but there's no need for you to worry. I'll be with the others; and Saito, Yamazaki, and Shimada. I promise I'll come back."

After learning the truth, Saito had sent scouts out to search for the Orgo Bandits and found them on the mountains of Kuju. Saito had asked permission to take Katsumi and a few men to go and confront the Bandits to help Katsumi get revenge for her family. The other members of the Okami Pack, of course, were going as well. They were expected to be back by spring.

Ryoko had sought out Heisuke the morning of their departure and found him waiting for her at the gates of the base. He had been out on a late patrol with Okita the night before and had heard the news from Sanosuke the moment he returned; he hadn't even changed from his uniform yet, telling her that he had been waiting for her for a little while. Parting from Yumi's side as she joined the other women, she had approached him to explain things.

"But I won't be there," Heisuke replied. "What if I want to be the one that'll keep you safe?"

Ryoko felt her heart warm up as the smile spread wider across her face. "It makes me happy to hear you say that, really, but I can take care of myself. We'll all be back before you know it and then things will go back to normal. You just have to be patient."

"What if I don't want to be patient?"

She gave him a stern look. "We all have to grow up sometime, Toudou."

He flinched. It had been a while since she had called him by his last name. He didn't like it as much as he liked her calling him by his first name. "I suppose I have no choice then, do I?" He hung his head for a moment before reaching into one of his pockets. "Just...promise to wear this, all right?" Raising a brow, Ryoko watched as Heisuke pulled out a necklace; hanging from the leather was a small, violet stone that made her think of the ocean. "It's called a charoite. It's...supposed to keep you safe on journeys and bring you luck and other things so...so any time you're not with me I want you to wear this, all right?" She was afraid her face was going to be stuck like this if her grin got any wider. "As long as you wear this, I'll feel better." He felt his face heat up as she chuckled. "Don't laugh at me!"

She shook her head. "I'm not, I promise. And I promise to wear it every time you're not near me."

Heisuke felt his blush grow worse. "G-good."

He leaned forward and Ryoko closed her eyes as he tied the necklace around her neck. Standing this close, Heisuke's smell entered her nose. Though the smell of sweat was there, so was the cucumber/melon like smell of the soap he used. It was one odd smell combination to her at first but she had grown used to it; grown to like it.

Heisuke's hands softly cradled the side of her head and she felt the warmth as he placed his forehead against hers. Things were silent for a moment until...

"Séjour averti." Ryoko felt her eyes widen as the words left Heisuke's mouth. "Dièse de séjour. Revenez à nous indemnes."

 _Stay aware. Stay Sharp. Return to us unharmed._

Those were the words that the Okami Pack would always say to eachother whenever they went on a mission alone or traveled. Heisuke had asked about it when he heard Asami tell Katsumi that when she left with Saito for Edo. For him to remember it...to say it to her...

Opening her eyes, Ryoko found herself staring into Heisuke's; his pools of blue/green water held nothing but worry and adoration as he stared at her.

And then it happened.

It was soft and warm; and it trembled, as if nervous. Heisuke had pressed his lips against hers forming the first kiss that she had ever had. Susumu and his friends had just tied her to the bed. Not once it she felt the lips of another against her own. She'd always feared any kind of intimate contact with the other sex after what happened to her but here now with him…with Heisuke... A fire seemed to light up in her chest like never before. This unexplainable burning desire that she now felt to reach forward and make the kiss even deeper grabbed every part of her, even her mind was screaming for more. This feeling… These feelings that she had been experiencing these last few weeks with the man before her none of it made sense but at the same time it felt right. She wanted nothing more than to stay here with him while the others went off on their expedition to find the bandits but she also had a desire to go and see this through to the end. She wouldn't let this new feeling inside keep her from helping her sisters no matter how much she wanted it to.

Heisuke slowly pulled back but didn't remove his forehead from hers as his blue-green eyes stared back into her own blue ones. She could see that his cheeks were flushed and that boyish grin was on his face again.

"I-I'm sure," He began to stutter. "That something like this was the last thing that you want on your mind but I… I just couldn't help myself any longer. This mission that you're about to go on I'm can't be there to protect you so if something happens I at least wanted to tell you my feelings before you left. I know after what happened… I won't apologize; not for my feelings. I..."

Ryoko cut him off by leaning forward and pressing her lips against his. The look of shock on his face before he returned the kiss himself was priceless, bringing a giggle from her throat before she pulled back and leaned her forehead against his chest.

"This...no, you, have brought a change to me, Heisuke. I...I'm too embarrassed to say anything out loud, too confused. but I promise that I'll come back to you. And when I do... When I do the two of us will have to sit down and talk about everything. Not about the past or the Ochimizu, but about what happens next and where the two of us go from here."

"You mean-"

"Keep your eyes on the gates, Heisuke. I promise I'll come back to you, even if I have to drag myself all the way here."

"Ryoko..." The happiness in the young man's voice as he whispered her name made her heart jump and the warmth of his arms as he embraced her made her smile grow even larger.

Out there on this journey she made a promise to herself to make sure she could understand her feelings and sort out what she wanted and what she didn't want. Time away from the Shinsengumi and traveling should be able to help her clear her head to make a rational decision. It wasn't just Heisuke she was thinking about. She remembered what she'd overheard Asami and Kondo talking about. Tsukiko told her to trust their leader but she didn't know if she could keep this quiet from the others, especially Katsumi. But she would reach a decision in the future; hopefully soon. Right now though she had to keep her mind set on the mission ahead of them and that was helping Katsumi get revenge against the Orgo bandits.

"Ryoko, it's time to go."

At Tsukiko's voice, Ryoko went to turn away but Heisuke tightened his grip. "If...if anything happens to you out there..."

"I'll come back," She whispered softly. "I promise."

Giving a small nod, Heisuke let his arms fall from her and she gave him a smile before turning. Tsukiko stood there with Yumi, both of them watching the exchange with smile.

"We'll take care of her, Toudou," Tsukiko told the younger man. "All of us will come back unharmed."

"Yeah..." He nodded. He wanted nothing more than to pick Ryoko up in his arms again but he restrained himself. "Be safe, guys, and go give them bandits some hell!"

"Damn right." Yumi grinned, slipping an arm around Ryoko's shoulders before leading her away.

Wearing a smile, Ryoko glanced back at Heisuke to watch as he gave a little wave before they disappeared around the corner.

"I'm proud of you, Ryoko," Yumi said happily as they walked out of the Shinsengumi Base. "You've grown up, and in a short amount of time as well. I almost didn't think it was possible. But I suppose all things are possible through love."

"Love?" She repeated, lifting a hand to her chest. "Is it this feeling? This burning in my chest? I already love you all of you but this feeling for him… It's different than what I feel for all of you."

"Love is always different when it's with a significant other," Tsukiko answered with a smile of her own. "You love us as sisters but when you start to feel something for a man, the feeling with him is more intimate than anything else you've ever experienced. You begin wanting to see him more than anything else. Hear his laughter, make him food, bring them anything he desires. Soon being apart from him will seem unbearable. It happens to us all."

"Even you?" Ryoko looked at the older woman.

"Even me," She nodded. "Sometimes that love will follow you to the grave, no matter what else is offered to you."

Ryoko lowered her head for a moment. She was reminded of the conversation that she had overheard Asami and Kondo having.

" _Asami," Kondo's words were slow. "Have you...reconsidered? Is that...perhaps, why you sought me out."_

" _Isami, I owe you more than I can ever give you. You, who took me and the baby I held in out of the pouring rain without a second through. You, who took care of both Fuyu and I until I was able to make it on my own. I came here from my home, barely knowing a think about anything and you stayed and helped me until I learned all that I needed. You, who knows where I come from and who I truly am...you accepted me with open arms; accepted both me and Fuyu. I swore to myself to repay you for your kindness...and I know what you want...but I'm afraid that I just can't give it to you."_

" _Even after twenty years?" Kondo sounded...so sad; Ryoko felt her heart stinging. This man...he and Asami knew eachother, they had to have met in Edo. He loved Asami so much it seemed...she could tell from his voice. "Twenty years of not even a glimpse of him and you still love him?"_

" _Even after twenty years," Asami's voice was soft and though Ryoko couldn't hear any emotions from it, she could see the sad smile on her leader's face. "I will go to my grave loving him."_

" _But you get the short end of the stick, Asami. It's not fair." Kondo began to plead. "You could be so much happier. Give me a chance."_

" _I will not have this conversation with you again, Isami." Asami's voice was harsh before fading again. "As I said before...if we had met in different times...I cannot pretend to love you while I long for another. I won't do that to you. You deserve better."_

" _So do you."_

She frowned. "Love…is like a double-edged sword for some, isn't it?"

Tsukiko nodded. "It can be. And sometimes it's not fair. It's your choice what happens when you fall in love. Everyone has their own path; now you just have to find yours."

"You talk from experience?" Yumi commented.

"You know the answer to that."

Ryoko gave the two a look. "I hate it when the two of you do that. It's not fair that you can have secrets and I can't."

"It's not that you can't have secrets, Ryo," Yumi grinned. "You just suck at keeping them."

Tsukiko nodded. "You'll get better as you get older."

Everyone was already waiting for them at the gates, silence all around. Ryoko exchanged a look before hurrying towards Katsumi. Hooking her arms to her she began to pull her.

"Come on guys," she put on the happiest look she could. "Let's get this show on the road!"

"You're awfully energetic this morning," Fuyu frowned behind a yawn.

"That's because Toudou decided to give her some of his energy," Yumi replied with a big smile as Tsukiko laughed and Ryoko blushed.

Chika raised a brow. "How did he do that?"

"Oh, just a little mouth-to-mouth procedure, that's all."

"Mouth-to-mouth?" Fuyu repeated. "What does-oh my God he kiss you!"

Yumi's grin got bigger. "From what we saw, it was the other way around, right, Tsukiko?"

Ryoko wanted the earth to open up and swallow her.

"Stop teasing her," Asami's voice cut through the laughter. "Or need I bring out some of your past romances?" Both Yumi and Fuyu went a deep red before closing their mouths. Ryoko caught Asami's eye and received a wink before the older woman moved past her.

She was still upset that Asami had keeping such a big secret from them; she practically played them like a ball in the palm of her hand, but she couldn't find herself mad. She wanted to believe in Tsukiko's words when she told her that Asami had good reasons for all the choices that she had made. It was because of this woman that she was still alive. She didn't know what happened in the older woman's past, or what all she had seen in those dreams of hers, but she wanted to trust her. She'd seen herself just how true those dreams can be. Now all she had to do was convince herself that what she saw this time could be stopped by being here with the Shinsengumi.

The travels went on normally. It was never a dull day with the Okami Pack but the closer they came to the mountains the quieter Katsumi became. She begun to distance yourself from the others thinking quietly as she walked either to the front or the back of the group. Currently, as they stopped for the night and sat around the fire, she was staring at the snow and her feet ignoring everything around her. Ryoko watched her in silence as everyone else drifted off to sleep, and then gave a sigh as Katsumi finally resigned herself to sleep as well, leaving Yumi and Shimada on watch and one other person that continued to stare into the fire across from Ryoko.

Saito had not said a word to anyone outside of thanking Chika for the food she had given him earlier.

Saito was a very stoic man, silent too, but Ryoko had always liked him; he didn't try to get involved with the women unless he had to. She had found him to be cruel in the beginning but after what he had done for Katsumi...her feelings had changed. This man had taken Katsumi's secret about her family wholeheartedly and turned to help her get revenge. She remembered the first night they had met Saito.

 _You!" Katsumi's growl grabbed Ryoko's attention and she turned to find that she was glaring at one of the other men. He reached the height of 6'1' with brown hair and green eyes. He wore clothes of red/orange and gray beneath the light blue Haori and the white tasuki of the Shinsengumi. He was wearing a smirk as he stared at the speaking woman, his arms crossed. "What do you want this time?"_

 _Before the man could answer, the sound of a sword being drawn made Katsumi turn. Another man stood there. He was close to the other man's height with dark hair and blue eyes as he dressed in black beneath his own Haori and tasuki. There was a white scarf around his neck, despite it being in summer, and he wore a plain face as he glanced at the woman he had drawn his sword on._

 _Ryoko's hand instantly jolted to her own blade, ready to run forward the moment this bastard tried to harm Katsumi. The other women followed suit, readying themselves for a fight._

" _What's wrong? Not scared of a few women, are you?" Chika asked as her gaze traveled between the men that now gripped their own swords._

" _Considering that you are the Okami Pack and not just your ordinary women, it seems like it would be a smart idea to be cautious at first." The silent man replied._

 _Ryoko watched as Katsumi grinned, ignoring the blade that being pointed at her. "Like I said before; you're the smart one."_

Saito was, indeed, probably the smartest of the Shinsengumi, next to Sannan. Hijikata wasn't that far behind him, though. As she spent time at the base, she noticed that this young samurai was rather shy in front of women but Katsumi had been able to push through that. Had...had Saito grown on Katsumi like Heisuke had done to her? Did Saito...

"Is something wrong?"

At the soft voice, Ryoko gave a smile; Saito was watching her. She shook her head. "No, I'm fine. Merely thinking."

Saito closed his eyes, accepting her answer. "You should sleep; the path only gets worse from here."

"You should, too." She replied. "Katsumi's worried about you, you know."

He looked at her, his face as blank as ever but his eyes held a questioning look. "Why do you say that?"

Ryoko gave a smile. Katsumi had been watching Saito at night. "Apparently you haven't been sleeping much while we've been out here. I didn't tell you this, but she's thinking about slipping something in your food to make you sleep at night; you might want to talk to her about it."

The man blinked, and as Ryoko watched, his questioning look turned to one of warmth. It made her smile even more. "I want to thank you."

"Thank me?"

"Yes. I...I never knew what happened to Katsumi's family; none of us did. But she told you before anyone else. It means that Katsumi trusts you more than anything else. You could have just left it there at that but you decided you wanted to help her get revenge for her family. Thank you for caring about her. Thank you for taking this chance to try and save her from her past."

The man averted his eyes. "I...I'm not doing much..."

"I guarantee that she doesn't see it that way; none of us do." Ryoko closed her eyes for a moment. "Katsumi likes to do things on her own. She needs someone to help her, despite her denying it. I want to...but it seems that it's not me she needs right now."

"And you think I am?"

His words made her smile even more. "Only you and Katsumi can decide that; why not try it?"

Saito stared at her for a moment in silence. "You've grown."

She nodded. "I...I think we all have, really, and I'm sure that we'll just continue to do so, too. And we're not the only ones," She smiled. "Everyone has; except maybe Okita." Her smile grew wider as Saito chuckled; that was the most laughter she had heard from him. "Get some sleep, Saito. And think about what I said."

~Who am I to be giving advice like that?~ She asked herself as she moved towards the forms of the other women. She paused when she found a cleared away space by Katsumi, a blanket just waiting on her. Smiling, she picked it up and curled up beside the older woman, happily spreading the blanket over the other woman too. As sleep took over, Ryoko tried to think about the journey before them but her mind kept wandering back to Heisuke and the way his lips felt against hers.

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	14. Chapter 14

_**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**_

 _ **Chapter Fourteen**_

 _ **Jealousy, Part One**_

" **Would...would you care to repeat that?"**

Heisuke felt his face heat up even worse; he must have looked like a ball of fire. Sanosuke stared at the younger man in awe and disbelief, his sake cup having been frozen halfway to his mouth. The two men were sitting in front of Sanosuke's room, enjoying the cool air.

They had received word from Saito a few days ago. The Orgo Bandits had been defeated and Katsumi had been reunited with the younger brother that had been taken from her; Satoshi. The group was on their way back, having stopped in a city near the Kuju mountains to rest before participating in another trek through the thick snow.

"Did you... Are you..." Sanosuke stared at him. "Oh my God, you're serious, aren't you?" Heisuke's cheeks turned the reddest that he'd ever seen; darker than his own hair! Sanosuke now understood why he wanted to talk to him alone; Shinpachi would've teased him to the point of tears.

"L-look," the young man began to fidget. "Can you help me or not?"

Sanosuke said is cut down. "That... That's not something I can teach you, Heisuke. It's... You... I can't show you how to have sex!"

Heisuke hushed him, glancing around anxiously. "Keep your voice down!" He gave a sigh. "And I didn't ask you to show me; I asked for pointers."

"Yeah, you did..." Sanosuke drug his fingers through is hair. "I..." He looked at him. "You're actually serious, aren't you?"

Heisuke gave a nod. "I... I've never felt this way before. At first I just wanted to be her friend but when I saw her that night, for Kondo's party... I began to think... Other things." he stared at his hands. "Imagined... When she left that night, it took all my strength not to follow her home and..."

Sanosuke nodded. He remembered the young man leaving the room and then returning a few minutes later. He had drowned himself in more alcohol like a wild creature. "Making love... Is not something I can teach you. If you're serious... If she feels the same, then it's something that the two of you have to learn together. Body language and the chemistry between the two people can't be forced; it can only be found."

"I figured you'd say something like that," Heisuke sighed. "I just... I don't know what to do. I can't just come out and ask her..." He shook his head. "Not after..."

Sanosuke gave him a frown. "What happened?"

Heisuke was silent before telling the older man everything. He will guilty about revealing Ryoko's past without her consent but at the same time he knew Sanosuke would keep her secret; never bring it up. He wanted to protect women more than anyone else in the Shinsengumi.

Sanosuke pulled a frown. "That explains her reaction with Okita that one night; her reaction to us all, really. These women...they carry so many secrets with them...it's kind of frustrating."

"I agree," Heisuke nodded. "But I like the way they are. I wouldn't change any of them; not even Tsukiko."

"She and Shinpachi have actually been getting along, believe it or not. Their arguments are nowhere near as horrible as they were when they first met. I'm surprised; Tsukiko even laughed, and not one of her fake, hard laughs. It was the laugh of a woman enjoying herself."

Heisuke stared in awe. "What did Shinpachi do?"

"Nothing really. The four of us were just sitting around and drinking like normal. Whatever barriers that woman had have begun to fall; all of theirs have. All of them had a reason for not trusting men; I'd like to believe that the Shinsengumi are responsible for changing their opinion." He then gave a sigh. "I'm afraid that Yumi doesn't feel the same though."

"What makes you say that?"

"She may seem happy and at ease to others but I know that there's something bothering her. She all but admitted to me that she's hiding something the night we..." Sanosuke closed his lips.

Heisuke raised a brow. "The night you...have the two of you...you know?"

"That's none of your business," Sanosuke replied.

"Ha! I knew it! Damn, you work fast, Harada!" Heisuke shouted happily.

Sanosuke couldn't help but grin before shoving his hand against the younger man's head, knocking him over before grabbing his sake again.

Heisuke's laughter then paused. "Sanosuke...if this is rude, then forgive me, but... just... just how do you feel about Yumi?"

The other man raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

"Well...I know how you and Shinpachi both can be with women; Shinpachi's worse than you, that's true, but you can also...hop. Is Yumi...just another hop?"

The silence that fell between the two men was awkward for a moment before Sanosuke finished his Sake and set his cup back down.

"Normally, yes. I have no desire to attach myself to one woman. Or at least that's what I want to say. It seems that is not the case. It seems that I am the one being left behind this time," He sighed. "Yumi has refused to speak of that night and has placed a wall between us. I try to talk to her but she plays it off as a fling. To think that I, of all people, would be the one longing after someone else like this. I'm used to it being the other way around, you know?"

Heisuke stared at his friend for a moment with a sad smile. "I'm sorry, Harada."

"What's there to apologize for?" The redhead forced a smile. "This is undoubtedly payback for all the hearts I've broken doing the same thing over the years."

"Yeah, probably," Heisuke teased. He dodged a soft hit from the older man before sighing. "These women are screwing with all of us...but I'm afraid that I don't mind it so much." He raised his eyes. "Yumi's still skeptical, no doubt, so you just need to keep pressing. Prove to her that you're someone that she can trust. If you want me to teach you how to make dango then I can show you."

"And stalk her around the base? No thanks," Sanosuke laughed. "Her and Tsukiko are close; even share the same room. I'm sure I can ask her for some help; when she's in one of her good moods, anyway." He then sighed. "Okita was right in saying that keeping these women around was going to be annoying but there's nothing to be done about it now. Besides, once you get past...some faults...they're really like a breath of fresh air. I was getting tired of it just being men here." He stared at Heisuke again, a small smile returning to his face. "You really have grown up, haven't you?" He gave another sigh. "If you really...plan on going through with this, you can't force or pressure her into sex. Given her...'past experience'...it might be hard for her; too hard. You could wound her even more than she already is."

"I know that," Heisuke replied. "That's the last thing I want to do to her. If...if she doesn't want to then I'll wait as long as I have to."

Sanosuke raised his sake glass up at his younger friend. "Spoken like a true man." Sanosuke felt proud of the younger man beside him. He and Shinpachi teased him relentlessly but just maybe Toudou was more grown up than both of them. "If it's meant to be then everything will workout."

Heisuke nodded his head. It had been really awkward and embarrassing to approach Harada for advice on something like this but he was glad that he had. As the next week went by, Heisuke ran around, getting things ready. Already acquiring Kondo's permission, he was gathering things he would need for the trip to Edo. He wasn't going to lie and say that he wasn't nervous. He was having scenarios constantly running through his head of Ryoko rejecting his invitation.. He was going to ask her to go to Edo with him. He knew that Edo was where she had been attacked but it was also where she had met the other women of the Okami Pack; Edo had been their home.

The entire time he was running around he found himself worried about Ryoko refusing to go with him. If she did that he didn't know what he was going to do. Everything he was planning, that he was hoping for, was riding on her agreeing to go with him to Edo.

"I figured I'd find you here," the voice made Heisuke look up and he saw that Okita had taken a place beside him. "You're more nervous about these women returning than Harada is; I didn't think that it was possible."'

Today was the day that the group was supposed to return. Heisuke had placed himself at the gate of the base, watching for them. He was so excited, nervous, and just a jumble of other emotions placed in a bowl. He had been trying to calm himself down but he kept picturing Ryoko's smile in his mind and it just made him worse. Maybe talking to Okita could help.

"I can't help it," He told the other man. "Every time that I see her face I just get so wound up. It's been two months since they left!"

Okita grinned at the younger man. Winter was over, spring well into it's third week, all snow gone from sight. He was glad for that winter was never his favorite season, but he dreaded the oncoming summer. He didn't think that any of them enjoyed the summer; were the women the same?

"All these women have you wrapped around their fingers," Okita crossed his arms. Hajime, Sanosuke, and now you. Even Kondo is bowing over backwards for that woman."

Heisuke raised a brow at Okita's words. His tone didn't read disgusted but it was clear that he wasn't happy about them. "Woman? Do you mean Asami?"

"Who else could I mean?" He shook his head. "That woman is hiding something and I want to know what it is."

"But aren't we the ones that are making them stay here? Why all want to leave; or, at least, they wanted to." Heisuke lowered his eyes. The thought of Ryoko just up and leaving one day...it made him sad.

"Are we really, though?" Okita's question made the younger man raise his head again. "I believe that there's something else going on here; and I want to find out what it is. I don't know if they're all in on it but I know for a fact that their leader is hiding something."

"Is that...why you've been trying to get closer to Tsukiko?" Heisuke remembered the conversation for a few weeks ago.

" _What, did Tsukiko not want to join us tonight?" Sanosuke asked as the three women took their seats._

" _No," Chika shook her head. "She decided to have dinner with Asami and Fuyu tonight."_

" _Don't lie now, Chika," Yumi decided to grin. "Her words were, and I quote – 'I have to deal with Shinpachi's face all day, why should I let it ruin my appetite at dinner.'"_

 _Ryoko tried to hide her laughter; she knew Tsukiko. There was no way her words were as nice as that._

 _Shinpachi pulled a face as he tossed a drink back. "Right back at her. God, I can't stand that woman!"_

" _But why?" Heisuke asked his friend. "I think she's nice."_

" _Tsukiko? Nice?" Yumi almost spit her drink out. "She's not nice at all; even to us. She's got horrid remarks for all of us, save for Asami."_

" _She's tough, but she cares for all of you," Okita commented from his seat with a grin. "She's teaching you how to deal with people outside of your little pack."_

" _Oh?" Chika raised a brow. "And how do you know?"_

" _If you talk to her like I do then you'd find out."_

" _You talk to her?" Sanosuke raised his own brow._

" _Yes. She's a delectable woman so why wouldn't I?"_

 _Chika let her mouth drop open, Shinpachi mimicking her look from across the table._

" _Wow," Yumi took another drink. "I never would have thought that Tsukiko would like something like you, Souji."_

" _Oh, don't mistaken my words. I said I would like to, but I'm afraid that Lady Hayashi refused; in a rather violent way as well," Okita rubbed his stomach._

" _Oh, so that's why you had that huge bruise," Heisuke chuckled. "Now it all makes sense!"_

" _You're crazy," Shinpachi shook his head, returning to his food. "She's a monster!"_

" _She can be," Yumi nodded. "But she's family."_

Heisuke watched as something changed on Okita's face but it was gone before he could get a better look at it. "Yeah, something like that..." The young man's face turned blank for a moment, as if he was thinking about something, staring past Heisuke's face.

Heisuke frowned at his friend. "Just what are you planning?"

Okita's smile returned to it's devilish look. "That's not something that you need to worry your head about, Toudou. All you need to do is-" The older man's voice fell silent as he glanced over his friend's shoulder. "Just don't make a fool out of yourself, okay?"

Heisuke raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

His answer was Okita's laughter as he crossed his arms. "How dense are you?"

Heisuke frowned in confusion before turning to see just what the other man was staring at. Instantly a grin spread across his face. Coming out of the city were the faces he had been waiting on. Laughter and talking could be heard from them all, signaling that they had all gotten along and nothing horrible had happened. He couldn't wait to hear about it all. He searched through the small group for the face that he was looking for but he froze at the sight that greeted him. Ryoko was laughing and talking with a young man that walked beside her. This had to be the brother of Katsumi that they had saved from the Orgo Bandits; Satoshi. This was a happy moment but to see him so close to Ryoko...it made him angry.

Okita seemed to notice the change in the young man and gave a grin. "Oh, jealous already? And just from first looks, huh? You might want to move fast, Toudou. He could snatch her from you faster than you think."

Heisuke knew that Souji was just teasing him but that didn't make him happy. It made him worse than before.

"You two are the only ones to greet us on our return?" Yumi's voice was like angels singing to both men, both of them realizing just how quiet it had been without them all. "I'm insulted."

"What, the two of us aren't good enough for you?" Heisuke replied with a grin, trying not to stare at Ryoko and the new man.

"No, not really, but I'll let it slide this time around," Yumi placed her hand on Heisuke's head and ruffled his hair. "Have you been a good boy since we left?"

He pushed her hand away, a light pink rising in his cheeks. "I'm not a kid, Yumi."

"No, I suppose not. But you're just so cute to tease!" This was new; this blonde woman had never treated him like this before; never heard her call him cute, either.

"Are...are you feeling okay?" He asked her, a worried look in his eyes.

She gave him a big smile but before she could reply Tsukiko placed her hands firmly against the other woman's back and began to shove her into the base. "She's fine, just tired. She'll need a nap before dinner tonight."

"Ooh, dinner! I wonder what Daiki will make!"

Heisuke and Okita both exchanged a look. Yumi was...there was something definitely wrong with her. Was she that tired? Or had she been drinking on the way back?

"Don't ask," Chika's voice greeted them next as Shimada and Yamazaki gave them their greetings before hurrying forward to report their return to Hijikata and Kondo. "You're better off not knowing."

"Is that so," Okita grinned at the woman. "I take it that you enjoyed being away from the base?"

"Free from all the men staring at me? I loved it," Chika replied, mimicking his grin. "I didn't have to break noses at all this last week." She moved past them as well. "I guess my vacation is over."

Fuyu and Asami moved past them with smiles and greetings but Saito and Katsumi had stopped a ways away from the base with Ryoko and Satoshi, quiet words exchanged between the four of them. As he watched, Heisuke felt a frown forming. Saito's eyes were flickering back and forth between the base and Katsumi; his cheeks were red. That was something that Heisuke had never seen before. Something must have happened, right?

Apparently Heisuke wasn't the only one that sensed something off about Saito either.

"As I said," Okita commented. "Wrapped around their fingers."

Heisuke smiled as he watched the normally silent man smile and reply to Katsumi's words. At Okita's words he could only guess what had happened. "If it makes him happy then why judge it? Let him have what he wants. Maybe you should find it too instead of being so suspicious."

Okita glanced at the younger boy before turning from the group and heading back inside the base without another word. Heisuke stared at him for a moment before turning back to the four that now approached him.

"There's the little guy," Katsumi grinned. "Did you miss us?"

He grinned. "Not really. It was so quite and peaceful here," He returned a nod to Saito as he passed him, leaving him outside the gates with Katsumi, Ryoko, and Satoshi. He turned his gaze to the new man; he was awfully close to Ryoko. "I wasn't expecting you to bring back a pet."

Ryoko's laughter rang like bells in Heisuke's ears as Katsumi scolded him and the new man looked nervous as he shuffled his feet.

"Show some compassion and respect, you little brat. Keep your jealousy in check." Heisuke's cheeks went red at her words; was it that obvious? "Come on Satoshi; I'll introduce you to real men, not brats."

The young man bowed his head towards Heisuke before hurriedly following his sister into the base, leaving the Samurai with the one he wanted.

"That was mean, Toudou," Ryoko giggled, placing a hand over her mouth as she did so. Heisuke couldn't help but smile as he stared at her. It had been two months since he had last seen her.

When Ryoko had first arrived with the others of the Okami Pack, she had been nothing but frowns and snide remarks. Never before had he seen such a happy smile on her face. The long black hair that had once been in a braid now hung freely and her blue eyes shone in a light that he found himself drawn to. Though Ryoko had stuck to western pants and boots, she had taken to wearing Kimono tops, much like his own, in shades of gray. She was still wearing that long jacket though, the one that symbolized her as a member of the Okami Pack, that brown wolf sitting on it. And hanging there around her neck was a certain violet stone; the charoite that he had given her before she left.

She seemed to know what he was looking at and gave him a smile. "I didn't take it off once; not even when bathing."

Heisuke felt his cheeks heat up and he turned his head away from her. "I-I wasn't thinking that!"

Ryoko giggled again before slipping her arms around his waist, resting her face against his chest. "I missed you."

He felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest. His face was on fire as he wrapped his arms around her back, resting his chin on top of her head. "I missed you, too." He felt her arms squeeze. "You'll have to tell me all about it."

"I can do that," She confirmed. The warmth that she felt from the young man before was the warmth that she had missed all winter during the long nights to and from the Orgo mountains. "Are we going on patrol later today?"

Heisuke cocked a brow. "Would you rather not rest than make rounds with me? You did just get back from a hell of a journey."

"I've been gone for two months. I'd rather not be apart from you any longer than that." Heisuke froze at her words and she tightened her grip again. "Unless...you want me to. I'm sure you don't want me-"

"No, no, that's fine!" He tightened his own grip. "I'd rather have you with me, too. In fact..." He had planned on waiting until dinner to ask her but now was as good as time as any. "I...I know that you just got back and everything but I have to go to Edo in a few days and was wondering if you would like to come with me."

Ryoko was still for a few moments before pulling her head back to look up at Heisuke; he was relieved when her arms were left around his waist. "Edo? What do you need to go there for?"

"It'll be more or less a vacation. My family still resides in Edo and it's a chance to get away from Kyoto and...the base." He answered her.

"Who else is going?"

He swallowed. "No one. It'll be just you and me...if you agree to come with me."

Ryoko stared at him, her blue eyes narrowed slightly as she seemed to be searching his face for another answer or motive. He lost track of the seconds that she just stared at him and felt a wave of relief when she placed her head back against his chest.

"I've...I've never gone anywhere without any of the others before. For it to be just us..." She closed her eyes and snuggled deeper into his chest; it made his face grow redder. "I think I'd like that."

"R-Really?" He sounded surprised. "You'll come with me?"

"I'll have to tell the others but I don't think they'll mind. Be glad Satoshi is here; if he wasn't then we might just find Katsumi coming with us as well."

At the mention of the other man, Heisuke found himself frowning again. "That guy...he didn't try to pull anything on you, did he?"

Ryoko pulled back again, this time with laughter. "Really, Toudou?" She shook her head. "The young man just found out that he was raised in a lie and found out that his sister was real, not just a person he dreamed up. He hasn't had time to do anything like that. Stop being stupid."

"Being jealous isn't being stupid," He replied, giving her a frown.

"Jealous?" She looked surprised. "Over me?"

Her face was adorable when surprised, making him place a kiss on top of her head. "Let's go inside. I'll have water drawn for a bath. Patrol won't start for a few hours so you can relax until then."

As he held her hand and led her into the base, he caught sight of Sanosuke across the courtyard, already drinking with Shinpachi for the day. Normally he would have joined them but right now all he wanted to do was take care of the one he led behind him, excited for what the future held for them.

 **Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	15. Chapter 15

_**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**_

 ** _Chapter 15_**

 **Arrival In Edo**

 **"This place hasn't changed at all."**

"Did you really expect it to? How long has it been since you guys left here?"

"Maybe a year, give or take. We left Edo about five months before we were captured by you guys so it's been a little over that now, I guess."

Heisuke feinted a hurt look. "Hey, we didn't capture you guys!"

"You did so," Ryoko shot back with a frown. "We were practically slaves; couldn't go anywhere without one of you guys following us around like dogs."

"You were to be kept under guard, not slaves," He corrected her. "Stop trying to make me feel guilty."

"Why? Is it working?"

He puffed his cheeks out. "Yes!"

She gave him a sneaky grin. "Good! Buy me something and I'll forgive you."

Heisuke paused in his steps, just staring at the young woman beside him in disbelief. It was hard to believe that this was the same girl that, only months ago, didn't even want to be in the same room as him, let alone talk to him. Now here she was, teasing and demanding that he buy her something. He couldn't help but smile. He liked her like this better. He had always liked her to be honest, but he liked being able to approach her like this.

All the time he spent with her now just seemed to be a dream to him and he found himself praying that he didn't wake up from it like he feared he would. He had nightmares the entire time that she was away from base of her dying during the fight with the bandits or even of the Okami Pack not even returning to the base afterwards. At first he had been worried for Saito and the other men that had gone with them but he began to admit to himself that if they others didn't come back then he wouldn't be as upset about it as he would have been if it had been Ryoko that didn't return to the base; return to him.

Heisuke had admitted to himself that he was willing to do whatever it took to keep her by his side. He had never felt like this about anyone before. He wanted to be around her all day, all night; wanted the first thing he saw in the morning and the last thing that he saw at night to be her face. Was he really not dreaming?

When Ryoko had agreed to come with him to Edo, knowing that it was just going to be the two of them on this journey, his heart had almost stopped. Ryoko was a smart woman; she had to know that he...wanted to do, didn't she? Or was he hoping for too much? Maybe she was oblivious to it all and just thought that this was going to be a regular, friendly trip. The rest of the women there knew though, that was for sure.

 _"Take it easy on her, will you?" Yumi's teasing grin made Heisuke flush as they all stood there, wishing them a safe journey. "She's still new to the whole...intimate phase."_

 _"I'm more worried for him, to be honest," Fuyu commented with a frown. "Ryoko can be...wild." That just made his facce redden worse._

 _"Stop that, will ya?" Chika shoved her shoulder into the younger woman. "You're starting to sound more and more like Hijikata."_

 _"And that's the last thing that we want," Tsukiko grunted, turning to head back inside the base. It was still early morning and the only ones that came to see them off were the women. Heisuke thought that maybe Sanosuke or Okita would be there but it seemed that he was wrong. He let it go and didn't get down. The guys probably all had a wild night last night; he had been able to hear it when he passed by their rooms._

 _"I'll be sure to keep her safe," Heisuke assured the three women left standing before him with a short bow. "And thanks for not...trying to come with us."_

 _"We know better than to butt in on something like this," Yumi commented with a grin. "That's why Asami is currently distracting Katsumi. If she knew the two of you were leaving for Edo then she would come with you, probably dragging Satoshi behind as well. This is...your time with Ryoko now."_

 _"And I appreciate that," Ryoko smiled. "I would love for Katsumi to come with us...but I just want this to be me and Heisuke." She wrapped her arms around Heisuke's own, a large smile on her face._

 _"When did you start growing up?" Fuyu's frown deepened. "Are you really the same girl who cried when Katsumi left for Edo only months ago?"_

 _Ryoko felt her cheeks turn pink and turned her head away from her friend. "Let's go, Heisuke."_

 _"All right," Heisuke slipped his arm from her grip. "Just one second," He glanced at the women. "Could I talk to you for a moment? In private?"_

 _Yumi pointed a finger at herself. "Me?"_

 _"Yes, it's...important."_

 _"Sure, I guess."_ _Heisuke watched as Chika and Fuyu continued to talk to Ryoko and he led Yumi a bit away from them. "If this is for advice on how to get her into bed with you then I'm not helping.?"_

 _Heisuke couldn't help but laugh at that, his cheeks reddening as he remembered that he had asked Harada for some pointers on that subject merely days ago. "No, it's nothing like that. It's just..." He paused for a moment, trying to think how to word this without messing it all up. He just wanted to help._ _"While we're gone I want you to think about something for me."_

 _Yumi blinked, not expecting that comment. "For me to think about? What would that be?"_

 _Heisuke felt nervous about talking about this and hoped that Sanosuke wouldn't get mad at him for doing so. "I...want you to reconsider...Sanosuke."_

 _He watched as her back stiffened and a dark look passed through her eyes; it was gone in an instant. "What does this have to do with Harada?"_

 _"Don't be mad," Heisuke clapped his hands together. "We were just talking and I heard about...well...everything. I know he didn't expect me to say anything but he's my friend and I want to help him anyway that I can. I've known Sanosuke for a while and I know that he's quite the flirt but...you're the first woman that I've seen him this riled up about."_

 _Yumi looked uncomfortable now. "To be honest, what happens between Harada and I has nothing to do with any of you. You and Tsukiko both are sticking your nose into something that you shouldn't."_

 _"So it's not just me that feels this way then," Heisuke took a breath of relief. "If someone else is going around and telling you the same thing then why not give it a chance? Sanosuke's a good guy. He wouldn't...hurt you."_

 _"I'm not afraid of being hurt," The woman turned her head from him. "And as I told Tsukiko, it's none of her business and neither is it apart of yours. I do appreciate you looking out for Harada, though."_

 _"So that's it? You're not even going to consider it?"_

 _Yumi gave him a smile and ruffled his hair before turning from him. "Take care of her, okay Toudou?"_

All that Heisuke had wanted to do was help his friend. He wasn't the only one, either, apparently. Maybe he could talk to Tsukiko when he returned. together the two of them could think of something, couldn't they? That thought made Heisuke laugh. Who'd have thought that Harada would need help with something like THAT from someone like HIM?

~First Saito, then me. Would Sanosuke be next?~

"Edo is where the Shinsengumi originated, wasn't it?"

Ryoko's voice brought Heisuke out of this thoughts again and back to the events spreading out around them. They were currently walking through town, glancing at little shops here and there as they made their way to the inn to drop off what little luggage that they were carrying. The young woman wore a bright smile on her face, despite this placing holding a horrible memory for her; perhaps her other, happy memories with the Okami pack were able to cover it up.

"That's right," He answered, taking in the places that he recognized. He missed it here. "It's also where you guys come from, right? It's weird. We were all here but not once do I remember ever meeting one of you; not once."

Ryoko gave a frown but covered it up with a small smile. "Maybe you did but you just don't remember. We didn't walk around in western clothing around here unless we were on a job, you know."

Heisuke perked up. "Really? So you mean...you actually dressed and behaved like a woman from time to time?" He had to dodge a swing of her arm as he laughed. "Come on, let's get to the inn. I'm already starving!"

Ryoko let Heisuke lead the way, her hand feeling warm in his grip. She had her suspicions now on why the Okami and the Shinsengumi never crossed paths while they both resided here in Edo. It had to be Asami's doing, somehow and someway. Tsukiko probably had a hand in it as well, seeming as how she was Asami's next in command. Ever since she had overheard the conversation between Asami and Isami...

 _"I'm sorry for calling you here to do this, Asami."_

 _"It's fine, Isami. You always have been bad at sewing."_

 _'Yes. You always tried to teach me but I could never get the hang of it. Sewing is an art for women, I tell ya."_

 _Ryoko now knew where she was. She was at the back doors of Kondo's room. He and Asami were apparently talking. She knew she shouldn't be listening to Asami and Kondo talking but their words caught her; froze her._

 _"I must admit," Kondo began. "When I saw you that night...I didn't believe that it was you. To see you here in Kyoto...it was like a dream. I never thought that we would meet again; not like this. Fate made it so."_

 _"Fate had nothing to do with it. I came..." Asami's words stopped there._

 _Ryoko felt her eyes widen and her breath catch. Asami...had brought them here to Kyoto for a reason? A reason like this? She knew all about the Shinsengumi all along; knew that they would be caught. Kondo wasn't the only one keeping them from leaving, was he? Asami was behind it all too! But why? What was going on?_

 _"Asami," Kondo's words were slow. "Have you...reconsidered? Is that...perhaps, why you sought me out?"_

 _"Isami, I owe you more than I can ever give you. You, who took me and the baby I held in out of the pouring rain without a second through. You, who took care of both Fuyu and I until I was able to make it on my own. I came here from my home, barely knowing a thing about anything and you stayed and helped me until I learned all that I needed. You, who knows where I come from and who I truly am...you accepted me with open arms; accepted both me and Fuyu. I swore to myself to repay you for your kindness...and I know what you want...but I'm afraid that I just can't give it to you."_

 _"Even after twenty years?" Kondo sounded...so sad; Ryoko felt her heart stinging. This man...he and Asami knew eachother, they had to have met in Edo. He loved Asami so much it seemed...she could tell from his voice. "Twenty years of not even a glimpse of him and you still love him?"_

 _"Even after twenty years," Asami's voice was soft and though Ryoko couldn't hear any emotions from it, she could see the sad smile on her leader's face. "I will go to my grave loving him."_

 _"But you get the short end of the stick, Asami. It's not fair." Kondo began to plead. "You could be so much happier. Give me a chance."_

 _"I will not have this conversation with you again, Isami." Asami's voice was harsh before fading again. "As I said before...if we had met in different times...I cannot pretend to love you while I long for another. I won't do that to you. You deserve better."_

 _"So do you."_

Asami had somehow done something to keep the two groups separated but what that was, Ryoko had no idea. Ryoko had wanted to confront their leader about all of it at first but Tsukiko had told her to trust their leader like they always have; she chose to do just that. Asami forcing them to stay with the Shinsengumi didn't bother her anymore; it was the other part of the story that she was afraid about.

 _"I came because I saw you in a dream, Kondo."_

 _"A dream?" The man sounded confused for a moment before his voice became sharp. "You mean...one of your visions?"_

 _"Yes. As you know, the women in my family have the ability to witness Precognitive dreams. I knew my sister would have a bastard child and I knew that our father would try and kill them both; its why I grabbed Fuyu and ran when I did. It's why I ended up at your doorstep that night in the rain; I knew you would take me in. It's how I knew you would create your dojo in Edo and that Hijikata would grow to be your Vice-Commander for the Shinsengumi. And now...now it's why I am here."_

 _"What...what did you see this time?"_

 _Ryoko held her breath. She knew about Asami's dreams, all the women did. It's how she was able to save them all. Save Katsumi from the men in the alley. Save Tsukiko and Chika from starving in the streets. Saved Yumi from being sold as a slave. How she knew where Susumu and his friends had her locked up._

 _"This time...I saw you die."_

 _Thunder rumbled overhead, making Ryoko jump and glance up. When had the clouds turned so dark?_

 _"I...die?" Kondo's words were shaky._

 _"If you continue to walk this path, you will die. Not just you, but everyone around you. Sannan. Yamazaki. Shimada. Toshizo. Heisuke. Gen. Souji-"_

 _"-I will not let that happen-"_

 _"-You are captured and executed; beheaded before the Choushu, leaving everything on the shoulders of your Vice Commander before he follows you to the grave." Asami's voice was once again void of any emotion. "But its not just you I see dying. I see them, too. All of them..." Her voice trembled. "Yumi and Tsukiko will disappear from my side. Katsumi dies saving Saito and Heisuke against your damn Furies. Ryoko will drink the Ochimizu to try and save Katsumi before she fades to dust. And Fuyu...my father will find her and finish what he started, taking Chika and Okita both with her...I'll be...all alone again. That's why I came to Kyoto, Isami. I made us all leave Edo to try and go into hiding so none of this would happen. I came to Kyoto to give you merely a warning before we were to set off to find a new home, but I have been given another dream. If I were to pull us all away now...things would turn out worse. Only so much worse. We have been seen with the Shinsengumi too much. Us leaving would result in Fuyu and Ryoko being captured and tortured for information. And the moment they learn the truth about Fuyu..."_

 _"We won't let that happen," Kondo's voice was soft. "I won't let that happen." He took a breath. "I was surprised when you asked me to refuse your ability to leave. Now I understand why. I will let no harm befall you or the others. As for your visions, we will find a way to stop them all; and your father. If he shows up around here...we can stop him."_

 _"The only one strong enough to stop my father...has too much pride to do so; I have no doubt that...after I ran from him...he has long turned his back to me."_

 _"Then he is not worthy to be called a man," Kondo told her. "And not worthy to hold the heart you still give to him. I swear on my honor that I, Commander of the Shinsengumi, shall keep you and the others safe. I will not leave you alone, Kimura."_

Asami's dreams always came true and as it stands, they were all going to die. Ryoko was more scared now than she had ever been before. To think that she was going to...

~No, don't think like that,~ She told herself. ~Kondo's right. We can think of a way to get out safely. Asami had seen me raped and let for dead but they all had changed that. They had saved me and changed my fate. We can do it all again. I will change it myself if I have to. I will not drink the Ochimizu; I will not die!~

"We're here!" Heisuke's voice dragged Ryoko out of her thoughts and she replaced her smile. "I'm starving! Let's hurry!"

"Calm down, Heisuke. We've got all...day..."

As Ryoko's voice faded away, Heisuke noticed that her grip had loosened and if he had not been holding it then her hand would have fallen. He turned to her with worry and found out that her smile had disappeared and she was staring up at the inn before them in silence, a look of anger and horror on her face. Her skin had grown almost unbearably white, making the young man beside her panic.

"Ryoko? What is it? What's wrong?"

"Why?" Her voice came out in a whisper, weak and small. "Why here? Of all places...why did you bring me here..."

Heisuke stared at her in confusion before the realization hit him. He glanced at the inn again before instantly wrapping his arms around her body, holding her head to his chest to block her view of the inn.

"I'm so sorry," He repeated apologies over and over again, holding her tightly. He felt so stupid. There was only one reason that the sight of this building would make Ryoko react in this way.

This was the place that haunted her nightmares. This was where Katsumi had saved her. This was where she had met the Okami Pack.

This was where she had met a man named Susumu.

 **Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	16. Chapter 16

**I hold no claim to the characters from this kick-ass Anime. Only Ryu, Liza, and Reiko are mine!**

 **WARNING. This Chapter contains rape and violence; read at your own risk.**

 _ **Chapter Sixteen**_

 _ **Savior**_

" **Did you enjoy your bath?"**

Ryoko, 15, lifted her head from the food placed before her. She was currently wearing a white bathrobe, her hair hanging wet around her face. Sitting across from her was a middle-aged man that she had been told to call Susumu. It was about a week ago that Ryoko had been caught trying ti steal food from his room and instead of beating her or calling the law down on her, Susumu had offered her more food, baths, and a place to sleep during the day while he went off and did the work that he had come to Edo to perform. He had even bought her new clothes, telling her that she reminded him of his daughter back home. He came from a poor village down south and came to Edo to petition for help from...someone. Ryoko had been too busy eating to listen completely.

Ryoko had been wary at first but the delicious food, the hot baths, and even the soft, warm bed had won her over and so she gave in.

Ryoko had no memories before a few years ago. She just woke up in the streets of Edo covered in blood, dirt, and starving. Since then she had been trying to survive. Others kids were like her but she stayed away from them as much as she could. She didn't know where she had come from but she knew how to read so it had to have been...something other than a farm.

"Very much so," She answered with a smile. She had never really talked much since awakening but this man made her do just that with all his questions about her.

"I was thinking...would you like to come back home with me?" The chopsticks she had been using to eat fell from her mouth and Susumu rushed to explain. "Of course you'd have to help on the farm but you'll be with others your own age and it's a hard life but its better than staying here in the streets of the city and living like...this. I have several daughters around your age that help on the farm and so you could be, like, apart of the family...if you wanted to." He glanced up at the child again and then waved his hands. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't want you to cry! If you don't want to-"

"It...it's not that," Ryoko used the sleeve to wipe her eyes. "Why? Why do you care? I'm just...some kid in the streets. Why...try to help me?"

Susumu's eyes were soft. "My parents died when I was young; your age. I lived in the forest until a farmer found me. I was accepted into his family to work and survive; it was there that I fell in love with his daughter and years later married her, gaining the farm in the process. How can I turn away someone who's enduring the same pain I did? Who knows, you might even marry one of my sons in the future!" It brought a laugh from Ryoko's mouth and the older man grinned. "Would you like to join me around town this morning? It'll be like a view from different eyes now that you're not hungry and dirty."

yoko pondered her answer for a moment before nodding her head in excitement.

Susumu had been right. Edo seemed different to her now. She got smiles and greetings from everyone instead of glares and comments. Everyone was so nice and she even got free dango as Susumu talked to people at a small kiosk. Other children waved at her and asked her to play with them. Susumu told her to go as he entered a building, most likely to do with what he had come to Edo for in the first place. Ryoko had never been happier. These kids, she had seen them almost every day playing like this; she always wanted to join them.

She kicked the ball too hard at one point and it sailed over the other kids, hitting some man in the back of the head. She winced and hurried forward in a bow. "I'm so sorry!"

It had been a trio of men that stood there; she felt nervous at the sight of the katana at their waists. Several times she had witnessed what damage samurai could do; the sight of blood scared her more than anything else.

"Hitting someone with a ball is very impolite," A voice teased. "How would you like to show you're actually sorry? Are we allowed to take a finger?"

Another voice sighed. "Do you really have to act like that?"

"What? It's only natural! She should learn to respect us; especially if we're to become-"

"We told you to shut up about that!"

"Both of you stop it!" A third voice rang out. "Souji, you're scaring the poor thing to death; look, she's trembling!"

There was a pause before the first voice replied bashfully. "It was just a joke."

Ryoko felt a hand on her head and she looked up to see that the man she had hit with the ball had squatted down in front of her with a smile.

"Don't feel bad; I've been hit with a lot worse. If I couldn't take a kick from a child then there's no way that I could call myself a man." His grin grew wider. "Just be careful; there's not many like me who will let you slide with a smile, all right?"

She nodded hurriedly. "I'm really sorry!"

"Just be careful," The second man said, Ryoko watched as his long hair fluttered in the wind as he handed the ball back to her. "And stay out of trouble."

"And here I thought you didn't like kids, Toshi," The first man, Souji, grinned in a teasing manner.

Toshi turned his back to the other two men. "I don't, but that doesn't mean I'll be mean to them, either; unlike someone we know."

"Who are you talking about? I love kids!"

"And this is why everyone calls you a liar, Souji."

"I never! Isami, tell the poem pusher to stop teasing me!"

Ryoko watched as the three men walked away before turning back to the other kids, throwing the ball back into play with a smile.

Susumu returned about an hour later but right away Ryoko knew that there was something bothering the man. She had asked about it but he told her that everything was fine and not to worry. He was...especially kind to her tonight, buying her an expensive dinner at a restaurant that she used to steal from and he had even bought her a knew kimono and a hairpin. He told it that it was for when she started farming; if she still wanted to go with him in the morning.

"You should get some rest," Susumu told her. "I'll be going out tonight so the room is all yours."

Ryoko raised a brow. "Are you sure? Where are you going? Will you be back tonight?"

"I'll be back later, I promise," He smiled at her. "I just need to get a few more things that I didn't grab this morning. You go ahead and sleep now."

Ryoko's excitement wouldn't let her fall asleep easily, though. The very thought of her receiving a new life, a family, a new home...it was like a dream. She was afraid that she'd wake up in the morning and all of this would be gone and she's just be living in streets again. The horror of waking up that that again...she doubt that she could bear it.

 _ **(ALLRIGHT, THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING. TURN BACK NOW IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ THIS PART)**_

Ryoko didn't know when she finally drifted off to sleep or how long she had been, all she knew was that she had been dreaming about living on Susumu's farm, helping with the rice. She felt a ticking sensation on her neck and thought it was from the plants as she walked through them but as they continued, and went lower on her body, she realized that something was wrong; that she was no longer asleep.

Everything hit her at once. The tickles were from lips. There was a weight pressing her down to the floor, her arms had been tied behind her back. There was something tied around her mouth, keeping her voice to nothing but incoherent mumbles as she tried to speak, demanding answers. She could see nothing in the dark and she began to struggle; the kisses stopped and her eyes grew accustomed to the dark; it was a man on top of her. At first she thought that it was Susumu but his build was too big. This was someone else.

"Aww, it seems the doll's awake."

The voice came from her left, signifying that there was more than one man in this room with her. Her heart rate skyrocketed and she began to struggle more, receiving laughter from yet another voice. There were three men in this room with her; the sense of dread falling upon her at the realization of the horror that was being bestowed upon her. She cried out Susumu's name but it was muffled against her gag. The man on top of her seemed to understand her word, though, and gave a rough laugh as he grasped her by the shoulders.

"Don't bother crying to him for help, woman. Not when he's the one that gave you to us." Ryoko's body stopped moving, her eyes widening. Susumu...this was all his doing?

"See, your dear friend is far, far behind on his taxes," The voice to her left began; she didn't even bother to turn her head to him. "So Boss here gave him an option; death or one of his daughters. To think he'd actually give up a daughter...so many others we know would have chosen death."

Ryoko was frozen. Susumu...this was why he had come to Edo, to barter with these...these vagabonds. This was why he had been nice to her and taken her in. He had led her into a false sense of security and used her for...for this. And she had let him. This was why he had left earlier that night; it was as if he could not face what he had done.

She didn't know who she was more mad at. Him for doing this to her or herself for letting it be done to her. She should have known better than to believe that her life would get better from here. She should have known better then to trust someone she didn't know, no matter how bright their smile had been.

She struggled, trying to kick and pulled at the rope her hands were tied with as the man's hands and lips laid claim to her bare skin. The tears swelled up as she feared what was to come. The men's laughter at her attempts and then the hits she felt across her face and other parts of her body as they barked at her, told her to stop struggling, just made her struggle harder. What little hope she had of actually escaping was lost to her when one of the other men had to come over and hold her legs down; she had already caught the bastard in the face once and he wasn't too fond of it happening again. Her own face burned as his fist connected with her left cheek multiple times before he pulled back to continue his business with her body. She refused to give up though.

Her body wriggled harder, faster as the bastard on top of her drug his hand up her thigh, his rough hands making her want to puke. He laughed at her as he reached her nether region, happily telling her that her body had betrayed her and longed for it. He called her dirty, a whore, as his friends all laughed and told him to hurry up so they could have their turn.

And then he was inside. There was nothing gentle about him; he didn't even pause when she screamed. She tried to struggle even more but it just made the pain worse, forcing her to stop and endure it, squeezing her eyes closed and just letting her tears fall faster and faster. She didn't know much about sex but she did know that this wasn't the way it was supposed to feel. This wasn't the way that it was supposed to happen.

A strange feeling began to build up in her stomach and she cursed at herself, at her body as it continued to grow and grow. She begged and begged her body not to do what she knew it wanted and gave out a cry of relief when the man pulled out of her before she could.

A warm, gooey substance splattered all over her legs and she refused to think about what it was; all of this made her want to puke.

Ryoko laid there, shivering as the man got off of her. More and more tears rolled down her face as she felt disgusted at what had happened. Disgusted at the man and disgusted at herself. She should have known better than to trust Susumu; to trust any man. This was her fault for falling into a world of lies and letting this happen. If only she had been stronger.

"It's my turn now."

Of course. How could she think only one of them would...have a go. Why would she think that her suffering would be over that fast? Susumu had given her to these men; there would never be an end to it now. She was to be their slave for as long as they wanted her. She found herself wanting to return to the streets then endure this over and over; she'd rather be dead!

There was a loud bang and instantly Ryoko was blinded by the light of fire. She had to slam her eyes shut but she had seen three outlines in the doorway before having to close them. Had these bastards brought even more? How much was she going to have to endure!?

"You bastards!"

Her brows rose; the voice belonged to a woman this time, and it was quickly followed by the sound of a sword being drawn. She kept her eyes closed, only listening as cries and grunts of pain and stomps vibrated the room around her.

She opened her eyes after a moment in time to watch as one of the men, on his knees before her not even three feet away, had a blade drug across his neck; his blood splattered all over her face. The same blade then pierced through his chest, making her slam her eyes closed again. If one man was dead then so were the others. Was she...was she going to die too? At this point in time, she would welcome it rather then endure something like this ever again.

Things fell silent for a moment before a soft hand was placed on her shoulder; she flinched away, afraid to open her eyes again.

"We're too late," Another voice commented; this one was female too. "We weren't fast enough."

"We didn't know which inn it was, Tsukiko. We did our best, sometimes it just feels like it's not good enough." There was a third voice, a third woman. "Katsumi, is she-"

"It's all right," The voice came from the one touching Ryoko now, her voice soft and calm. "You can open your eyes; you're safe now."

Ryoko was still for a moment before doing as she was told, letting her sight adjust again to look at her saviors. She had been right; all three of them were women and all three of them were holding swords in their hands as the bodies of the three men lay bleeding on the floor at their feet.

"Stay still; I'll cut you free."

The woman touching her reached forward and removed whatever covered her mouth before using her sword to cut the rope around her hands. She could feel that man's blood on her skin but it didn't bother her as much as what had been sprayed on her legs. With a roar she grabbed the discarded robe that she had been wearing when she went to sleep and began to scrub at her lower half, trying to remove every inch and feel of that man off of her. Her tears flowed out faster and faster as she scrubbed her skin raw.

Something dropped around her shoulders, making her freeze. She glanced at it and found that it was a strange jacket; she had seen foreigners wearing it before and turned her eyes to the woman that still sat beside her. Ryoko stared up at her for a moment, taking in the anger and disgust that shone on the older woman's eyes, before letting more tears fall.

"You poor thing," The woman growled, wrapping her arms around her. Ryoko found her face buried in the soft cloth the woman wore and the tears just fell faster and faster.

"Tsukiko," The one Ryoko clutched too began. "Go and make sure these bastards don't have any more friends around outside. Chika, keep a look out for Officers. We can't be seen leaving the scene, all right?"

Both of the other women nodded and left silently to perform the tasks given to them, leaving Ryoko with her Savior.

"I'm so sorry," Katsumi's voice made Ryoko's grip tighten on her clothes. "I'm so sorry we didn't get here sooner; so sorry that you had to...to endure that."

Ryoko felt safe in this woman's arms. The warmth that she produced told her that she was safe now, that she wouldn't be hurt like this again. This woman had saved her. She felt like the tears wouldn't stop any time soon.

"Come with me, I'll take care of you," Katsumi whispered to her. "We all will. Never again will something like this happen to you; I won't allow it."

 **I hope you guys like it. Review! :)**


	17. Chapter 17

**I hold no claim to the characters from this kick-ass Anime. Only Ryu, Liza, and Reiko are mine!**

 _ **Chapter Seventeen**_

 _ **The Way I Do**_

" **Would you stop apologizing already?!"**

"I can't! Not over something like this!"

The duo had been unable to find another room available so were forced to stay in the same inn from Ryoko's memories. She had calmed down since entering it earlier in the day, obviously pleased that the room they had been placed in was as far away as it could be from the previous room she had been in.

The two of them had moved around Edo, trying not to think about the inn they were now at, laughing and talking like they had been earlier. Heisuke had been buying Ryoko things left and right, trying to make up for what had happened. She told him to stop it but he refused to. By the time they returned to the Inn there were so many packages and bags in his arms that Ryoko had to lead them to their room. Her laughter rang in his ears as she scolded him and though her hand on his arm trembled a bit as they moved through the halls, he was pleased to see that she wasn't shutting down like she had earlier that afternoon.

They had eaten already and bot had gone off for a bath. Heisuke had just returned to see Ryoko laying on the bedding that was spread out for them, flipping through a book that Heisuke had bought in town. Heisuke had apologized to her once again about the turnout of the inn arrangements and she had tossed the book at him, knocking him in the head as she gave him a reply.

"Its not that big of a deal," She continued, sitting up on the mats. "I was just...caught off guard, that's all."

"You can say that all you want but I'm still going to feel guilty."

"Then feel guilty silently."

Heisuke smiled as she crossed her arms with a frown, turning her back to him. He knew that she was just trying to make him feel better and he appreciated the face that she was putting on for him but he wasn't stupid. Inside that head of her's he was sure she was freaking out, trying to keep herself from getting up and leaving the inn right now and sleeping in the woods outside of town. She might even go try to find the house that Katsumi's family used to live in years ago.

~Why didn't I think of that earlier?~

Giving a sigh, Heisuke sat down by his bag and searched through his things before pulling out a comb. He hated the feel of wet hair on the back of his neck but he had to comb it out before pulling it back up all just in time for him to let it down again when it was dry so he could sleep. It was a pointless battle, yes, but he had been doing it for so many years now he was just used to it. Sometimes he wondered if he should just cut all this hair off but he just never had. It had taken years for it to reach this length; he was attached to it.

"I want to do it."

At the voice, Heisuke glanced over his shoulder to see that the woman was looking at him again. "What was that?"

"Let...let me comb your hair..." Ryoko's face was red. "I...your hair is beautiful so I've...I've always wanted to...ask permission to touch it."

Heisuke's face went redder than hers. "Uh...sure; if you...want too." He watched as she crawled over to him. His back was so straight as she took the comb from him and moved around behind him. He tried not to move but every time her fingers would brush his neck or shoulders of his ears he would give an involuntary shudder and hold back a gasp. Her fingers were so warm.

"I wish my hair was this shade," Ryoko commented a short while later. The room had grown too quiet for her taste. "It has more personality than the black mop I have."

"I like that black mop, though." Heisuke wanted to smack himself in the face. "I...I mean, you hair isn't a mop!

His words made her smile. "I guess it's good that someone's does. I'm really envious of Tsukiko and Yumi, though. Tsukiko has that red hair and Yumi's is blonde. I suppose that's one of the perks of not being Japanese, though."

"I know that Tsukiko's mother was Scottish," Heisuke commented, remembering what he had heard Shinpachi and Sanosuke say one day. "But what about Yumi?"

"I'm not sure. Yumi...I don't know anything of her past except how Asami saved her. I think the only one who knows is Asami and Tsukiko, really." At the mention of Asami, Ryoko closed her eyes. She still hadn't forgiven the older woman for lying to them but at the same time...she wasn't quite as mad about it as she had been before.

"The trust you all have in eachother is amazing," Heisuke smiled. "It's like a female version of the captains."

"I guess you could call us that," She sighed. Her hands paused in his hair. It was still damp from the bath, much like hers was, but the feel of it passing through her fingers was...she couldn't think of a good word for it, other than saying that she liked it. "I never really thought about it that way." She gave a grin. "Don't let Tsukiko hear you compare her to Shinpachi, though. She'll box your ears so fast."

"Box my ears?" Heisuke glanced over his shoulder at her. "What is she, a grandmother?"

"She acts like one. I swear she should have been the one that paired up with Hijikata. They're so similar."

"Toshi would take that as an insult," He laughed.

"They both would." Ryoko fell silent for a moment as she drug the comb through his hair a bit more before dropping the comb and attaching herself to his back, her arms locked around his torso.

"R-Ryoko?" If Heisuke wasn't stark still before, he was now.

"Thank you, Heisuke," Her breath tickled his neck. "Thank you for trying to make me happy. Thank you for going out of your way to bring me here and trying to get me to enjoy myself. Outside of this place being from my nightmares, I really enjoyed myself today. I'm also glad that it's just you and me here, too. I'm sorry for hiding from you like I did, too. To be honest...running into the Shinsengumi...meeting you...has been one of the two best moments of my life."

His hands reached up and interlocked with her fingers. "That goes for me, too," He turned his head to lock eyes with her. "I...I can't even imagine you not being there at the base anymore. I can't lie; the thought of the Okami Pack leaving, of you leaving...it scares me."

"It...it scares me, too." Her voice was soft and he felt her arms tighten around him. "At first there was nothing I wanted more than to leave but now...now I...I want to stay. I want to stay with you, Heisuke."

Heisuke's eyes widened. She had actually just said that. She wanted to stay in Kyoto; she wanted to stay with him. The happiness that spread through his body made him want to jump around and celebrate but he had a better idea on how to express his joy.

He turned, pulling her into his lap. Her arm locked around his neck moments before his lips found hers, spreading a warm, tingling feeling through both of them. One of Heisuke's hands laced through her hair while the other stayed at her waist, making sure she didn't fall backwards in case she pulled back. Both of them were only dressed in the white bathrobes from the inn, the material thin so they could feel the heat of the other through it from their closeness. Heisuke could feel his heart pounding; was hers doing the same?

Ryoko gave a short jump as a hand cupped her breast, caressing it gently. She squirmed, her heart pounding in her ears, but she refused to break the kiss. She felt...different about this. This felt different than the last time. This time was...

Heisuke's lips traveled down from her lips to rest at the crook of her shoulder. His free hand had pulled her shoulder off, exposing skin for him to mark as his. He tried to...use what he had seen Sanosuke do before but in the end had to wing it. Moments later, Ryoko had pulled his head back by his hair just to slam her lips against his again. He grinned to himself before carefully lowering the woman before him to the floor, refusing to break the kiss as he slid over her. Taking his hand from her breast, he pushed the robe out of the way and pulled her leg up, his hand free to roam her body as the other propped him up over her. He kept telling himself, repeating it, that he had to be gentle and for more than one reason. One is because of Ryoko's past and the other reason was because this was his first time. He didn't want to embarrass himself, not in front of her and not doing this.

And then Ryoko froze. She knew that Heisuke wasn't like those other men but as his hand traveled down her skin all she could see were those events from her past. All she could feel was that man on top of her. It made her shake. It made her feel sick. She had to stop. She needed to stop. She couldn't do this; no, not yet.

Heisuke noticed her reaction and paused. He knew what was going on and it made him sad; sad that this woman beneath him had to endure a fear created by a group of bastards that had put her through something so horrible. If only he had a chance to confront those men himself; their deaths wouldn't have been so fast.

He placed a kiss on her forehead before rolling off of her and to the floor, staring at her sideways now. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I...I'm sorry, Heisuke, I..." She was trying not to cry; she refused to cry. Not like this and not infront of him. Not over something like this.

"It's all right," He whispered to her, running a hand over her hair. "We'll just sleep tonight, okay?"

"I'm sorry, Heisuke," Her voice was so small as she stared off to the side. "I...I just don't think that I can do this," Ryoko admitted in her small voice. "I don't think that I'm ready to..."

"You don't need to be," He told her. He took this chance to hold her to him, her warmth the only cover he needed for the night. "I'll wait as long as I have to until you're ready."

"But...what if I'm never ready?"

Heisuke gave a smile. "You will be, one day. You're only seventeen, Ryoko. You have a whole life ahead of you. It might take a year, it might take five. I just want you to know that I'll be here when you are ready. I'm not going anywhere."

"You're sweet, Heisuke. I'm sorry that I..." She paused for a moment. "Just because I don't want...it doesn't mean I don't love you, Toudou!" Her last words came out as sort of a yell and her face flushed before speaking calmly again. "This last year with you...it's been like a dream and I...I wouldn't change it for anything." She looked up at him. "I...I can't believe that I've found someone, after all that happened...I can't believe that you make me feel...the way I do." She told him with a smile. He could see the tears in her eyes. "Thank you, Heisuke, for making me feel this way. For making me leave behind my shell. For...for giving me something I thought I'd never, ever have. Thank you for making me feel the way I do."

Heisuke tightened his hold on her, burying his face into her shoulder. "I should be the one thanking you. At first I just wanted to be friends, to show you that you didn't have to be afraid to live with us at the base, but eventually it turned into something that I never felt before. I never got the girls like Sanosuke or Shinpachi did, even Okita could get them better then I could. I just never...felt a connection to anyone until I met you. That's why I tried so hard to make you happy. I just didn't realize that it had turned to love until you started ignoring me. It hurt; a lot."

"I'm sorry, Heisuke,"

He could hear the guilt in her voice and shook his head. "Don't be. I understand it all. You should never feel sorry. I'll make sure you never apologize for it again. Every time you do I'll kiss you, understand?"

Ryoko gave a giggle. "That just might make me want to apologize more."

"If you do you just might get drunk off of them."

She pulled back and looked at him in confusion. "How do you get drunk off of kisses?"

Heisuke felt his cheeks flare up. "I...I...I don't know; I heard it off of Shinpachi once that he made this woman drunk off his kisses. I..."

Her giggles cut him off as she buried her face into his chest again. "It's Shinpachi, Heisuke. You can't believe anything that comes out of that man's mouth; especially if he's drunk."

"You sound like Tsukiko."

"Good."

The duo laid there, just talking and holding onto the other long into the night, merely wondering what the future had in store for them.

 **I hope you guys like it. Review! :)**


	18. Epilogue

**I hold no claim to the characters from this kick-ass Anime.**

 _ **Epilogue**_

 _ **I Would**_

" **Stop it!** I can't...cant breath!"

"Beg me."

"I am begging!"

"Say it!"

"Say what?"

"You know what!"

"All right, all right! Ryoko, you are greater than I. There is no way that I can ever defeat you and I don't know why I continue to try."

"Good." Ryoko removed herself from her victim to make her way to the table but was jumped on again. "Gah! What the hell, Satoshi!?"

"I win this time!" The young man grinned as he sat on Ryoko's back, pinning her to the dirt.

"Don't worry, Ryoko! I'll save you!"

Heisuke's voice rang through the area and before she had time to react, Satoshi's weight was lifted off of her and the two men were now wrestling on the ground beside her. Sanosuke and Shinpachi were hollering encouragements from their seats as everyone laughed.

The Okami Pack and the Captains of the Shinsengumi all sat in the Garden on the final night of Fall nearly a year later, laughing and eating as they had a good time with all the others. The women had stopped asking to leave the Base sometime in Spring and just...accepted that this place was now their new home. It had been for nearly two years, after all.

Giving a smile, Ryoko leaned back on her arms and watched too. She...never remembered being this happy; she felt like this was just a whole different life. It was hard to believe that five years ago she had been nothing more that a homeless scavenger in the streets of Edo. Now she had all of this; now she had a family.

"I'm proud of you," At the words, Ryoko turned to her side to see that Katsumi had crouched beside her, a smile on her face as she continued to watch Heisuke and her brother wrestle.

"Of me?"

"Yes," Katsumi's brown eyes moved to her blue ones. "I had feared that you'd never move past what had happened. You're a strong person; don't lose that strength."

"I won't," Ryoko assured her. "Not as long as I have Heisuke with me; and I'll fight to make sure that doesn't change."

Her answer widened Katsumi's smile and the older woman stood up to return to Saito's side. "That's good to hear."

"Ahh, I'm so tired!" Ryoko gave a jump as a head landed in her lap and look down to see Heisuke's yellow-green orbs staring up at her. "I think I'll take a nap right here."

She giggled. "We have a patrol to get ready for soon, you know."

"Aww, don't remind me!" He moaned. "Just a short one? Please? I'm so tired from defending you from that scoundrel. I should get a reward!"

Leaning down with a smile, Ryoko kissed his forehead. "All right, but just for a little while, okay?"

"You're the best, Ryo."

Ryoko could only smile as his eyes closed and couldn't resist playing with his hair. Here, together with him, together with them all, Ryoko felt truly at peace and prayed for it to never end.

As the two of them sat there, an old memory came to her mind. Asami had told Kondo that they were all going to die. Two years ago if you had told her that she would sacrifice herself for anyone but Katsumi Ryoko would have laughed in your face, but now...

~I would do it~ Ryoko told herself was a smile. ~To protect them, Heisuke, Katsumi...and even Saito... I would drink the Ochimizu if the time ever comes. But I would defy the odds and not follow Asami's vision. I will not allow myself to die, no matter what. I love them all too much to make them suffer that way.~

"What are you think about so intensely?"

Opening her eyes, Ryoko looked down to see Heisuke staring up at her. "Oh, just...things."

"Things?" He repeated. "What kind of things?"

"Hmm..." She couldn't tell him what she was really thinking about so she chose the next best thing. "I want a baby."

Heisuke froze for a moment before he sat up, staring into her face. "Are...are you serious?"

She felt her cheeks growing red. "Y-yeah. Why not? I-" Her words were cut off by Heisuke capturing her lips, his hands holding her head so she couldn't pull away. She giggled when he pressed his forehead to hers. "I take it you're happy."

"A son. I'll get to have a son!"

"It could be a daughter, you know," She told him.

"Then we'll keep producing them until we have a son!" He happily cried, kissing her again. "Let's have as many as we can!"

"H-hold on. Heisuke," She felt her face growing hotter and hotter. He had announced that so loud! "Let's start off with one and go from there. You might find out you don't like having children and-"

"Never," He assured her in confidence. "If its with you, I'll love it; I'll love it all. And we'll never let them be treated the way we were. They won't grow up on the streets and they won't be shunned by their family. They'll be the happiest children in all of Japan, I swear it."

Ryoko stared at him in silence for a moment before leaning forward and kissing him again. She was sure Heisuke meant what he said and so she would believe it. She would always believe anything this man told her.

 **And so ends Heisuke's Story. I'm so sorry that it took so long to complete but I enjoyed it all the same. I already know who's story will be next but I'm afraid that it won't start until I get a few of my other stories finished so keep in touch guys!**

 **I hope you guys like it. Review! :)**


	19. Written in the Stars

_**Written in the Stars**_

" **You mean...he was jealous?** Of me?"

Katsumi gave a laugh. "I can see why. To see the one you like walking up with another man after being gone for so long...poor Heisuke must have been hurt."

"I told him he was being stupid," Ryoko blushed.

Satoshi sat in a room with the seven of the Okami Pack, listening to how his sister and the others met the Shinsengumi. Katsumi had already told her story and Ryoko had been next.

"Someone else tell one!" He urged.

"Aren't you tired of hearing about hard-headed women falling in love?" Fuyu asked the young man.

"I..." Satoshi hung his head. "You're the first encounter with women I've had. I...I want to know everything about the ones my sister lives with."

Ryoko gave him a soft smile. Satoshi knew only the life of a bandit; of course he would be wanting to drink in as much information as he could, despite it just being useless stories like these.

"It's not too late yet," She began. "A few more stories won't hurt; now it's all just a matter of whose."

"Well, there's the biting psychopath," Katsumi pointed at Chika. "The hard-headed womanizer," Tsukiko sipped at her tea. "The Knight," Yumi gave a grin. "Or the Demon." She watched as Fuyu tried to hide her grin.

"Don't...you have a story, Lady Asami?" Satoshi looked at the last woman in the room.

"Mine isn't as interesting as the others," The woman replied with a smile. She glanced at the bundle in her arms before glancing at Chika. "Why not tell us about Okita, Chika?"

She frowned. "Why mine?"

"Well, you're the only one that got a child out of it," Fuyu teased. She then shot Yumi's stomach a look. "Well...one that's been born already, at least."

Yumi gave a small smile before placing a hand on the bulge that was her stomach now.

Chika felt her cheeks heat up as she turned her eyes to the bundle that the older woman held. It was her daughter, sleeping peacefully as Asami had cooed at her while Katsumi and Ryoko had told their stories. To think that she had ended up pregnant after everything that had happened; she wouldn't have believed it if you had told it was going to happen two years ago when they had first met the Shinsengumi.

"Okita's...he scares me," Satoshi admitted. "I don't know how you put up with him, let alone sleep in the same room.

"Souji's not that bad," Chika replied, scratching the back of her head. "You just have to know how to deal with him."

"Yeah, Chika scares me more than he does," Katsumi commented.

Satoshi raised a brow. "Why do you say that?" Chika seemed like such a sweet woman.

Chika gave a sigh. There was no way she was going to get out of this one, was there? "To understand that, you'd have to hear the story from the beginning." She closed her eyes. "I'm not proud of what I've done but Souji accepted me anyway, though he still loves to tease about it."

"Ooh, you're actually going to tell us?" Fuyu leaned forward. "Don't leave out any details; any!"

"Yeah, yeah," Chika watched as Ryoko positioned herself to lay her head in Katsumi's lap before reaching forward for her cup of tea. "But I'll only tell it if Tsukiko tells hers next."

"We'll see," the older woman snorted again,

Yumi waved a hand. "If she won't then I will. The two of us were practically joined at the hip anyway; I know almost everything that happened between her and Shinpachi."

"Shut your mouth, Yumi!"

The women and Satoshi all laughed, careful not to wake the child that Asami still held. Chika stared at the baby for a moment longer before closing her eyes. "I'm afraid that my story isn't as happy as Katsumi's nor Ryoko's though, so don't blame me if you get nightmares or uneasy." Satoshi nodded his head, eagerness clear on his face. "When we were forced to join the Shinsengumi, having my heart captured was not on any of my lists. More than anything I just wanted to sleep and drink my days away. If I did nothing then there was a good chance that _she_ wouldn't appear and cause problems."

Satoshi raised a brow. "She?"

"Her name is Haruka," Chika replied. "And...she's the only reason I'm alive today; well, both her and Okita. I wish I had been there for their first encounter together; I'm sure it was a meeting written in the stars..."


End file.
